"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; God is my rock, in whom I take refuge and my savior…You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light." (2 Samuel 22:2, 29)

Lights. We see them all around us at this time of the year. Lights on trees. Lights wrapped around houses. Colored lights. Blinking lights. Running lights. Flood lights. Candles in the windows. December is the season for lights.

Why? Tradition? Of course. To attract attention? Possibly. To celebrate? That too. But if you use extra lights during this Advent season (the four weeks of anticipation and preparation prior to the birth of Jesus), let them help you do one thing more: Let them remind you of our God and His Son, Jesus.

How so? David calls God his lamp in this song of deliverance and praise. The light from that lamp enabled him to walk through the shadows, even the valley of the shadow of death (Ps. 23:4). Jesus too is a light; He came as the light of the world (John 8:12, 9:5). Light breaks through darkness, and Jesus wants to provide a light in whatever darkness you may be facing: doubt, anxiety, depression, loneliness, disappointment, sin, fear of death.

Maybe you are one of those who celebrate Advent with an Advent wreath: four candles in a circle plus a larger candle in the center. The circle shape of the wreath reminds us of God’s infinite love for us – like a hug that never ends. Evergreens often decorate the wreath to remind us of the everlasting life that is ours as believers in Jesus as our Savior. Each Sunday, one new candle is lit along with those of the previous Sundays: the candle of hope, the candle of peace, the candle of joy, the candle of love, and on Christmas Day, the Christ candle. The light of the candles reminds us of the light that Jesus brought into the world by His coming.

Let the flame of those candles picture for you who God is – "my lamp," "my light and my salvation," "my Savior" – the light of your life. For each of you who read this message, I pray for the blessings of a meaningful Advent as you look forward to Jesus being born again in your heart. May His birth ignite the fire within your soul so that you, too, might shine with Him this Christmas.

~ Pastor Linda