Every year my church creates an Advent devotion book for the congregation to use as we go through the Advent season. Each devotion is written by a different church member. I wrote the devotion for December 15 in our book, and I want to share it here with you today.
The people who walked in darkness
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
When my daughter, Adelaide, was two years old, she was delighted by Christmas lights on houses. Anytime she saw white or colorful lights decorating a house, she would exclaim, “Oh! Pretty lights!” It sounded like, “Oh! Plee-lee lights!” When Adelaide saw more pretty lights, she would tell us again that there were more “plee-lee lights.” It brought her so much joy to see the twinkly lights shining in the darkness. Her delight made such an impact on our family that to this day we continue to quote two-year-old Adelaide when we see Christmas lights.
I smile when I remember young Adelaide’s joy in seeing pretty lights. Her joy was over something small and temporary, but there is a much greater joy to remember as we go through this Advent season and anticipate the arrival of Christmas Day. We are no longer a people walking in darkness. We are no longer trapped in sin. A light has shown, and a Savior has come! God has rescued us from our sin, and He has increased our joy!
Holiday decorations are a small reflection of the real joy of Christmas. When you see Christmas lights decorating houses this season, let them be a reminder of the light that has shone in the darkness. Let them be a reminder of the great gift of salvation and the fullness of joy that is ours in Christ. The joy of pretty lights is fun, but it is fleeting. The joy that we have in knowing Jesus, the true light of the world, is a joy that will last forever.
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