Thankful for the Darkness (2011 post 2nd edition)

There is something magical about Christmas lights.

Ordinary homes transform into gumdrop houses. The outline of barren trees form graceful shapes against the darkness, and inside my home the lights from our tree cast a warm glow. I love to sit in their grace listening to the quiet and counting my blessings.

But it struck me the other night that without the darkness, there would be no magic. When the lights on our bushes outside are left on during the daylight hours, their beauty diminishes. It’s as if they are straining to be seen at all. But when the sun goes down…they shine.

We need the darkness to see the lights.

Many of us cringe when daylight savings time ends and the days are shortened. We love the long summer days that last into the evening hours. But whoever invented Christmas lights must have known how to turn lemons into lemonade because now we can enjoy the longer nights. I can’t wait for the sun to go down and my lights to come on.

God even uses the darkness for good.

If you’re in a “dark” place, look for His light.

If you found His light, how has light shone in your darkness?

What better time to share your faith than Christmas? Maybe you will be that one bulb shining on a string of lights that will give someone hope tonight. Let your light shine.

Much grace and peace,
andy

“The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it” (John 1:5).