We plugged it in. Nothing. So we bought a new lightbulb for it. Nothing. The star on top of our Christmas tree finally quit, after many decades. Thankfully, it won’t stop Christmas. The light of Christ that is Christmas never stops and never changes.
Our tree is still starless, though we do plan on picking up a new star. Meanwhile, may we all focus on the Light of the world that never goes out. Jesus came that we may each have hope, peace, joy, and life eternal in Him. That gift gives us a very bright Christmas! I hope that each of you chooses to receive it.
Our Christmas candle – a tradition my mom started to remind us that Jesus is the Light of the world.
Jesus clothed Himself in human flesh
To clothe us in His righteousness.
If we will but just yield to Him
He will save us from our sin.
“Well then, here is joy upon joy. Here is not only the Lord come among us as man, but made man in order to save man from that which separated him from God.”
– Charles H. Spurgeon
“And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent His Son as the world’s Savior.” (1 John 4:14)
What amazed me most was the realization that I could see individual leaves on the trees. That was the day I first got glasses, as a kid in elementary school. Before that day, the leaves were simply blurs. It was as if I was seeing everything for the first time, noticing exquisite details that I never realized existed!
As I got older, I wore contact lenses. Then, as I got even older, I switched to wearing just one contact. Most people need reading glasses at some point in their life. My eye doctor explained to me that I could switch to wearing one contact to continue to see far away, and my other eye would take on the job of seeing up close, as in reading. She was right. It only took a few days for my brain to adjust, and wearing one contact has enabled me to see both near and far.
You can keep both near and far, present and future in your line of vision. This angel reminds me of the past and future. I received it as a child, and it still plays Silent Night when wound up, bringing to mind that Jesus came and will come again.
Why am I sharing the story of my eyes with you? I think we easily get caught up in seeing only what is near or only what is far off, and we need to see both. It is so important to be fully present and focused on wherever you are, what you are doing, and who you are with at the moment. However, we also need to see far off. Life here is very short and death awaits us all.
That doesn’t sound like a merry message, but please read on. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth, and one reason He was born was to defeat death. John 3:16 is still true today –
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
May I suggest being fully present now and conscious of eternity at the same time?
Jesus came for us both for right now and forever. He can “free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death” (Hebrews 2:15)
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11
Be both fully present here and conscious of eternity.
May you know the joy of Christmas, and have some fun this season, too!We remember that Jesus came, and He will come again!
Sarah Bebes Blog 