Light

December 19, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Lights decorate our homes and line the streets blinking with reds, whites and greens. The advent is counted by lighting candles. We hold candle light services to celebrate the birth of Christ. Our Christmas trees twinkle with light.

So what does light have to do with Jesus. Oh the traditions probably just grew over time from different events, but the idea of light is very important when thinking about the baby who grew into the man we know as Jesus.

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ” I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

And

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

And

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

And some day

Revelation 22:5 ⁵There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Prayer: Dear Lord, you are the light of the world, help me to walk in that light that I might have fellowships with those who are yours.

Meditation: Think about living with God where there is no need for light or the sun, because the light of God will light the world.

Action. Sit outside and look up at the stars and the moon, just think about the one who spoke all of this into creation.

Advent · Christmas · Uncategorized

Cookies for Santa Lucy

December 13, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Traditions associated with Saint Lucy Day on December 13

She brings gifts for good children
She brings coal for bad children
Cookies left on the mantle
Children need to be a sleep when she arrives

A wealthy young women who loved Jesus lived in Sicily around 310 AD. She desired to stay a virgin and to spend her life working for God. One powerful pagan man in her community intended to marry her even though Lucia did not want to marry him. She set her mind to using her dowery for helping others and to stay in service to the Lord.

The man denounced her to the authorities for being a Christian in retaliation for her not being willing to marry him. The magistrate ordered Lucia be burned to death. The tradition says her body would not burn until she had received the sacrament. There are many wondrous stories associated with her death and it is difficult to know all the details.

In some traditions, the 13th of December, her saint day, starts the 12 days of Advent.

Regions of Italy, and other parts of Europe, have a tradition that Saint Lucia on a donkey brings either sweets or presents to children who are good. Bad children receive coal. If you are not a sleep, and you see Lucia, she will blow ashes in your eyes making you temporarily blind.

Swedish traditions have a young girl with a crown of candles on her head carrying saffron buns. The lights symbolizing both her name which means light and the fire she suffered for the Lord.

Others say that during the persecutions of the christians, Lucy brought food to christians hiding in the catacombs. She created a wreath on her head and attached candles so she could see and her hands would be free. They believe the Swedish tradition comes from this story.

Prayer: Lord around the world Christians suffer. They are persecuted and punished for loving you. Please open my eyes to their plight. Where I can help show me what I can do.

Meditation: Read the stories of Christians in Egypt, Syria, Africa, China, India, Indonesia who are being persecuted for their faith.

Actions; I will keep a record of every story I hear about persecuted Christians. I will pray for them daily. I will look for ways to help them.

Advent · Christmas

The Light of the World

December 5, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Hanukkah started on Thanksgiving this year. The feast lasts for eight days, so it ends on December 5.

Jesus celebrated Hanukkah in Jerusalem. How do I know? The bible tells me so.

John 10: 22

And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.

The Feast of the Dedication, Hanukkah, and the Festival of Lights are different names for the same celebration.

An evil ruler controlled Israel about 165 years before Christ was born. He stopped the worship of God in the temple and contaminated the temple with a statue of Zeus; he sacrificed pigs to Greek gods.

A group of men who loved the Lord fought and won their freedom from this corrupt ruler.

Once free, they worked to clean the temple and rededicate to the Lord. The Menorah stood in the temple and it was to be an eternal fire before the Lord. When they were ready to light it, they realized they had only enough oil for one day.

Then a miracle occurred. The day’s worth of oil continued to burn for eight days. This was the amount of time needed to prepare the oil for use in the temple. The fire burned eternally.

John tells us that once when Jesus was at the temple he made the following statement

John 8

12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

He is my eternal light. When my heart and my mind are focused on Him, I walk in the light. When the business of the world or the aggravations of this life become my focus, I stumble in darkness.
Prayer: Ask Jesus to shine light in my life; to be my eternal flame.

Mediation: Think about what habits, attitudes, or desires block the light from my life.

Activity: Practice going through the day in silent prayer asking him to keep me in the light.