Sunday, December 27, 2015


One Year Ends; Another Begins

One of my favorite elements of the holidays is Christmas lights. Yes, some can be garish and downright gaudy; however, most are very tastefully done. We don't see these Christmas lights much during the day, but oh, how they twinkle and give life to the darkness of the evening.
 
Yes, I did say darkness. That's the thing about light: It's true glory is revealed in the midst of darkness. That's when light is most noticeable.  One tiny flicker in total darkness can be seen for miles and miles.
 
As I was driving into town for church last evening (Dec. 26), I noticed how "dark" the night was.  Most people had already extinguished their beautiful Christmas lights for this season.
 
I am so thankful that we serve a God whose Son's light and Holy Spirit's illumination can never be extinguished.  THE "Light of the World," THE only true "Hope" of mankind - His light shines still in the midst of the blackest darkness of our lives.
 
This divine light radiates ever onward, ever true, ever sure, ever strong. It is powerful to save, mighty to deliver and to heal, and compassionate and loving and forgiving to all who will simply come. Every day He bids us to "come to the Light." We come as we are, He comes as He is, and voila! Miracles occur, the greatest being our royal transformation into sons and daughters of the King.
 
Recently, a passage of scripture poignantly reminded me of this wonderful "Light" - Acts 12:1-19.
 
The setting of this passage takes place during some very dark days in the history of the early church.  Herod the Roman ruler of northern Palestine, Judea, and Samaria curried favor from the Jews over whom he ruled by antagonizing the believers of Jesus.  He laid hands on many of them and mistreated them in all kinds of ways.  He had James, the brother of John and the first apostle to be martyred, put to death with a sword which pleased the Jews who cried out for more.
 
Herod eventually set his sights on Peter.  He seized Peter, put him in a prison guarded by four squads of soldiers, and intended to deliver him to the Jews after Passover.  While this was going on, "prayer was being made fervently by the church of God" on Peter's behalf.
 
On the very night before Herod was to bring Peter forward, an amazing miracle happened.  Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with two chains with guards in front of the door watching over the prison.  "An angel of the Lord suddenly appeared, and a light shone in the cell."  Peter's chains immediately fell off his hands, and the angel hurried out of the prison.
 
At first, Peter wasn't even sure what was happening was real. It wasn't until he was totally free of the prison that Peter awakened to the realization that "the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting" to do.
 
Peter traveled to Mary's house, Mary the mother of John (Mark) where many were gathered praying for his release.  When he knocked at the door, the servant recognized his voice, but because of her joy she did not open the door and instead ran to tell everyone. Peter continued knocking, and finally someone let him in.  "The Lord has led me out of prison."
 
That same Light that shone in Peter's prison cell still shines today.  That same Light that loosed Peter's chains still breaks the chains of bondage today.  That same Light that rescued Peter and led him out of prison still stands ready to rescue and to lead us out of our own hellish prisons.  Yes, that Light - JESUS - still exists and today stands ready to fee and redeem in the midst of the darkness of our lives and of that in the world.
 
This holiday season, I am so thankful for the Light of the World.  How He has shone in the midst of my past few months!  I am so humbled and appreciative for His rescuing me and allowing me a little more time with my family and friends.  I am also humbled and appreciative for all of His "little lights" who did not shrink under a bushel somewhere but who have offered me joy and hope and friendship and food (WOW! What amazing food!) and love.
 
May 2016 be filled with His light, His love, His life, His joy, His peace, His purpose, and a HOPE beyond anything we could expect. Love to you all.
 
             
 
 


 



You Call Me Friend
 
O, Light that lighteth every man,
O, Bread that feeds us all -
 O, Holy One from the heart of the Father,
before You I stand in awe.
 
The great I Am, the Eternal Word,
the Beginning and the End -
how can You share Your heart with me
and choose to call me Your friend?
 
I come before You,
lay my dreams, my life at Your feet
not looking back, eyes ever forward,
at home in Your love, at home in Your arms
because You choose to call me -
You called me Your friend.
 
You, who can do anything,
whose breath gives life to all,
whose hand crafts the tiniest eyelash -
before You I humbly fall.
 
O, King of Kings, El Shaddai,
whose word makes all things new,
how can You share your heart with me
and choose to call me Your friend?
 
I bow before You,
lay my dreams, my life before Your throne
not looking back, eyes ever forward,
at home in Your love, at home in Your arms
because You choose to call me -
the King of the Universe calls me -
You call me
Your friend.