How Great...in all Times

By Lexi Cole Ellis

 

Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
    for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 12:6 (ESV)

 

As I was planning our wedding several years ago, I spent a lot of time choosing our wedding music. I searched and researched...reading playlists from Google, scouring YouTube for songs and reading all the bridal magazines for ideas. I wanted something meaningful but something different. For one of the songs, I ended up picking Chris Tomlin’s “How Great Is Our God.” The first thing we wanted to proclaim after we said our vows was that God is great.

How great is our God
Sing with me
How great is our God
And all will see
How great, how great is our God [1]

The song ended up being poignant, representing a dualism of emotions. A month before my wedding, after most of the details had been finalized and deposits had been made, my dad unexpectedly lost his job. Our family didn’t see it coming and it ushered in a season where I had the privilege of watching my parents trust God in ways they hadn’t needed to before. In the midst of pure joy with our wedding, there was a continual choice of needing to trust God for His timing in revealing His plan for my dad and his future employment. It was a weird combination of emotions...after dating Andrew for almost six years, there was the excitement and the absolute certainty that this was what I wanted. But I also had to deal with my anger at what I considered an injustice for my dad and uncertainty at what would be next.

As I listened to the song over and over again to plan out the timing for lighting the unity candle, I started studying the words. I realized that this was a song that could be sung in the heights of joy and the depths of unknown. God is great....in all times.

Though our circumstances differ, though our emotions at this present moment may vary, He is the “name above all names, worthy of all praise.” [1] Despite the trial or blessing, despite the pain or rejoicing, we have the opportunity to make a conscious choice, one that cries (in tears or in joy), “my heart will sing, How great is our God.” [1]

GOING DEEPER:

1.      Think of life at this present moment. If you had to pick one or the other, is it more joy or more tribulation?

2.      What do you need to do today to confidently sing of God’s greatness despite what’s going on?

FURTHER READING:

Jeremiah 10:6; 1 Chronicles 29:11; Psalm 96: 4

Lexi and her husband, Andrew, have an adorable dog named Calvin. Lexi teaches sixth grade Reading and Writing. She serves with Children’s Ministries and is the Fresh Start Coordinator.

 

[1] http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/christomlin/howgreatisourgod.html

[2] http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=YL7Z7WNX

Every Morning

By Peggy Kleckner

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:21-23 (NIV)

This verse is taken from the book of Lamentations. To lament is to “feel or express deep sorrow (for); mourn; mourning some loss or death” (Webster’s New World Dictionary). So a whole book of mourning or wailing, crying out in grief over loss or death. If you read that description on a book jacket cover, would you want to read it?  Probably not, that is of course, unless that was the place you found yourself. There are times in our lives that we go looking for the words or the pictures that express where we are. Sometimes that is a place of deep sorrow, or a place of deep grieving over our own sins or the sins of others. We want to stay in our “happy place,” but life includes sadness and joy, darkness and light. So too this book, in the midst of deep grieving and real pain, this diamond of hope is nestled.

To pretend that life is “fine” and that we experience no pain is to deny the necessity of a Savior. To tell one another to try harder - - to get over it or to move on without mourning - - is to deny the pain and to deny the true work of the cross: leading us to repentance. I have spent a long time painting over my pain, coloring my hurt, drawing pictures on top of my wounds, but eventually they still bleed through and I find myself having to put all of my efforts into whitewashing and denying again and again and again. I don’t believe that is the life of freedom and abundance that Christ died for.

This verse lies after much wailing of true pain and admission of sin. Amazing how difficult seasons bring the truth to the surface. Pain seldom lets us hold in the truth that is looking to be expressed. Pain and yes, actual anger, push truth to the surface like a volcano hurls out both lava and rocks.

We cannot hide from God, but oh we can hide truth from ourselves for quite some time. Let your pain and deep anguish lead you to the truth. You are not God. You are not perfect, nor can you be. You do need a Savior and God has given us only one, Jesus Christ.

We are not consumed and His compassions never fail, because He sent Jesus.

Stop whitewashing; rather, repent and be forgiven. Rest in the One who has willingly and compassionately paid the price for you.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  What guilt are you trying to run from? Will you turn around and face the only true judge?

2.  What unanswered question nags at or continues to threaten your faith? Will you take it to the throne room, bringing it out in full view so that He can speak to you about it?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 38:9; Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 61:1-3,7

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield.

The Cost
By Sarah Walker

“And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
 1 John 2:17 (ESV)

When Jesus transforms us and works in our lives, the repeated example in Scripture is that there is often some cost. Not in the sense that we earn our position, but in the sense that we joyfully are willing to sacrifice what it takes to become even more intimate with the God of the universe.

When a group of four men brought their paralyzed friend to see Jesus who was at home, they had to remove the portion of the roof above Jesus in order to get their friend to Him. Imagine. To get to Jesus, somebody’s home had to be ruined. And Jesus, when He saw the four men and their paralyzed friend, praised their faith. Jesus didn’t condemn the actions that caused a roof to need repair. He didn’t even ignore it. No, He praised the faith of the men involved, forgave the sins of the paralytic, and healed him! What an amazing example of how much Jesus values our faith. Even over the destruction of property. Jesus performed a miracle, and a wrecked roof was the cost. [1]

When Jesus told Simon Peter to cast his nets out again after Simon had been out fishing all night and caught nothing, there were so many fish that his nets began to break and his boat began to sink. Simon and his brother Andrew called over their fishing partners, James and John, and the amount of fish they caught caused their nets to break as well. [2] We are told in Mark 1:16-20 that James and John had to spend time to mend their nets afterwards. It was in the wake of this that Jesus called the four men to follow Him and be His disciples. Jesus astonished even professional fishermen with how many fish were caught, and transformed the lives of the four fishermen…but wrecked nets were the cost.

In both cases, people were transformed! There may be a cost to receive the truth about Jesus: who He is and the miracles and overflow that come from following Him. It may require repair to earthly things, but Jesus is most concerned with our hearts.

GOING DEEPER:

1.      Are there costs in your life that God has used, or will use, to draw you closer to Him and to learn more about who He is? If so, choose thankfulness for the transformation that will occur because of those circumstances.

FURTHER READING:

James 1:2-3; 1 Peter 1:3-7

[1] Mark 2:1-12

[2] Luke 5:1-11

Sarah is married to Scott and is a full-time mom to their two young sons. She and Scott are involved in a small group focused on prayer.

Asleep in the Boat

By Susan Klein

“Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.”

Mark 5:38 (NIV)

No doubt, you’re familiar with this story. Jesus, after a long day of teaching throngs of people, says to His disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” It was evening. They were likely tired and in search of a quiet place for rest. The disciples followed Jesus into the boat. Mark’s Gospel account states other boats accompanied them. All these men were surely skilled at sailing, so it must have been quite dark for them to not notice the “furious squall” forming above.

This was no spring shower. The violent waves began to crash over the sides of the boat, nearly swamping it with water. How, one might ask, does a person sleep through that kind of commotion and danger?

Can’t you just picture the disciples, frantically trying to maneuver the boat while incredulously glimpsing the Lord asleep through it all? What thoughts entered their minds before they got up the courage to wake Him? “Is He deaf?” “Is He really asleep, or possibly dead?” “Why isn’t He rising to help us?” Eventually, they roused Him and, perhaps angrily, asked, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?!”

Truth be told, I think we’ve all entertained such thoughts at one time or another. How often have we labored through formidable circumstances wondering where Jesus was in the midst of it all? “Is He asleep?” “Does He hear my pleas?” “Why doesn’t He do something to help me?” “Doesn’t He care about what I’m going through?” Doubt creeps in when faith is weakened, or misplaced. I know I’ve uttered, more than once, “Lord, where are you in all of this?!!”

Where He is…is in the boat. Facing our same storm. He was right next to the disciples the whole time, calmly asleep. They’d witnessed His miracles. They knew what He was capable of. So do we. They had no reason to fear that His sleeping would stop Him from doing what need be done. At a moment’s notice He could (and did) calm the waves with a word. All they need do is ask. Confidently. Not fearfully or in doubt.

After Jesus calmed the waves, He inquired of the disciples, “Where is your faith?” In other words, “Are you placing your trust in the tangible or in me, ‘God with you’?”

How about you? Will you fully trust in the One who holds the power to calm every storm, even if He appears to be asleep in the boat?

GOING DEEPER:

1. What life concerns might you be facing despairingly?

2. Will you keep trusting Jesus, even if He seems to be asleep in the boat?

FURTHER READING:

Mark 5:35-41; Luke 8:22-25; James 1:5-8

Susan is married to Mark, and co-leads an in-home small group. She serves as a mentor to young women, and is a member of Oakwood’s Peace Team, helping people work through conflict.

Hands and Feet

By Brita Crouse

“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

Isaiah 1:17 (NIV)

They are everywhere. They are seen daily on the news. They are discussed by our friends and neighbors. They live in our communities. They pass us by without our even realizing. Who are “they”? The oppressed. “They” are those who are hurting, lost, and in need of Jesus.

Jesus commands us to care for the oppressed. His Word is teeming with these charges. Why? Maybe because He knew that, for all time, people would be suffering and in need of Him.

God has been convicting me to follow this command more diligently in my daily life. Why should I be so blessed when so many around me are in need? Shouldn’t I be sharing Jesus with these people who are desperate for a Savior?

Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to be obedient to this command toward victims of horrors I cannot even fathom. Every Wednesday night, I make the 30-minute drive to a center for abused women and children. Here, I have the blessing of being an advocate for children who have been victimized in their own homes. 

Why do I do this? Because I want to? No, most nights my selfish human nature tries to convince me that I am too tired after a long day of work to do anything of worth. Because it’s fun? Not always. Many times I have left the center in tears, either from frustration or grief for the things these children have witnessed. Because I am paid to do it? Nope, I actually lose money in all the gas I use driving back and forth!

I do this because I am called to, and the One who is calling me is the One who created those children; the One who never intended for their lives to be full of suffering; the One who wants to be made known to each of them. Here, I feel as if God is using me for what I was created to do. Here, I get to be His hands and feet. That’s why I do it.

In some way, it has been communicated to these kids that they are unloved and unwanted, so when my greatest commandment is to love, how could I not obey?

Take the opportunities you are given to be obedient and become the hands and feet of Jesus to the oppressed. In return, you will be blessed more innumerably than you could ever imagine.

GOING DEEPER:

1.  Who can you reach out to this week?

2.  What are local ministries/organizations that you can plug into?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 82:3; Psalm 68:5; James 1:27

Brita recently moved back to her home state of Wisconsin where she works as an Elementary School Counselor. She and her family have attended Oakwood for 20 years.

A New Year

By Karen D’Amore

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - - the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”
Acts 20:24 (NIV)

It’s the first few weeks of the new year. It’s the first blank page of my 365 page book, which I’m striving to have God see as good. Today lends itself to quiet reflection, where I recall the old to help route my course for the new. Like hitting the rewind button on a VCR, the old year rewinds, pauses, stops and replays. As I replay those archived moments, I’m reminded of Isaiah 55:8, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, declares the Lord” (NIV). Though I’d prefer to fast forward or delete the muck and the mire, wisdom draws me to stop, explore and process the priceless lessons found hidden in the confusion, adversities and good.

The litany of dark, painful and confusing obstacles are challenging to comprehend. Though I would have preferred a smoother route, I recognize God allows difficulties for His express purpose. Recognizing and believing the truth doesn’t equate with liking it, nor does it make those difficulties any easier to endure. One thing I’ve learned in this Christian race is God is constantly working to mold, shape and conform us into His image…a process in which He is more concerned with our character  than our comfort!  Through hindsight-faith and the ability to reflect on God’s past faithfulness, I’m encouraged by His ability to redeem everything for His good. Seeing beauty rise from the ashes in those incomprehensible circumstances has empowered my ability to trust God…even in the midst of pain.

As reflection draws me into deeper introspection, I see those hardships from an enlightened perspective. This life isn’t about me, it’s about Him! This Good News, heaven-bound race was intended to bring Him glory. These God-allowed hurdles build endurance, perseverance and mature faith. “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:15, NIV)

As I launch forth on this journey into a New Year, I resolve to surrender and submit to God’s ways and seek His best… whatever that may look like. And as one year rolls into another and for future years to come, I strive to live in such a way that I’ll hear God say, ”You fought the good fight, you finished the race and kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:8, NIV) ”Well, done good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23, NIV).

As we stand at the start line of a New Year, will you resolve to run the Good News race - - obstacles and all?

GOING DEEPER:

1. Reflect…finish well!

FURTHER READING:

Philippians 2:1-18

Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and a Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility

Uncivilized
By Sarah Walker

“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.”
1 Peter 2:2 (ESV)

Through Peter’s first letter, God tells us that we are to long for spiritual milk. Many of us desire to see God more abundantly in our lives and to see His transformative power at work. Many of us desire to be more like Jesus and to see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. But how many times do we desire this inwardly, but externally are unmoved? Do we keep our spiritual yearnings locked inside where they can’t be “disruptive”?

Notice how Peter describes this longing we are to have. We are indeed to long for spiritual milk, but not in a neat, refined, or civilized way, but as a newborn infant longs for milk  - - screaming and desperate for the nourishment, actively searching for it, and when the need begins to be met, latching on, never letting go, never letting anything distract us until we have had our fill. Once filled, we then can move on to other things and survive from that milk.

But only for a time. Just because we have had our fill once doesn’t mean that in another few hours we won’t be desperate for more. No, we will take all the energy and fuel we need from that milk, and then repeat the whole process over again. Not in a refined “please give me more milk whenever you get the time” kind of mentality. No, it is more in a “I need more milk now! Stop whatever is going on and feed me!” kind of attitude. We are designed to earnestly seek to be filled again and again.

Desperately needing to cling to Jesus, dependently holding the truths of God found in the Bible, does not mean we are failing! To the contrary! It is what we were designed to do. It is the very fuel we were made to live on.

When my first son was born, he was so motivated to nurse that he prioritized eating over breathing. He wanted milk so desperately that he turned blue from lack of oxygen rather than stopping to breathe! At times, we also will need to learn to prioritize things in a proper way for our own survival, but just like my son, we will figure it out eventually: it is what God designed us to do.

GOING DEEPER:
1.  How are you longing for God’s pure spiritual milk? Do you need to become less “civilized” and passive in your approach to obtaining it?

2.  Use the Bible as your lifeline to receive God’s truth for your very sustenance.

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 63:1-3; 1 Peter 1:22-2:3

Sarah is married to Scott and is a full-time mom to their two young sons. 

Refuge

By Tracy Smith

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.”

Psalm 18:2 (NIV)

As I reflect on the past few years, an aspect of God has been very prevalent in my life - - “God as my refuge.” 

When I was 17, I was diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). While it was good to have a name/reason for the intrusive thoughts and behaviors that had plagued me for the past eight years, it was also scary, since there is no “cure” for OCD… only management. 

Through the years, the symptoms have waxed and waned. Sometimes the OCD is only there in the background and not interfering with my life, and sometimes it is there 24/7, pounding at me mercilessly. 

Early in 2011, I was asked to speak to a group of women about my OCD - - what it had taught me about God.  That was a frightening thing for me as OCD is not something that I have shared about easily, so very few people in my world were aware that I had it. However, I had been praying for years for God to use my OCD in some way for good and for Him, so I knew my answer had to be “yes.” 

Immediately after saying “yes,” the spiritual warfare hit and my OCD symptoms skyrocketed into “very interfering” territory. In the months that followed, I learned that I could always count on God to be the refuge and place of safety that David wrote about in Psalm 18. I was able to wield the tools in my spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:10-18) more effectively than ever before. I had true friends I could talk to and a mentor/friend who prayed me through some of my most difficult days. I have a family that loves me enough to tell me the truth even when it's hard to hear. God gave me just what I needed (in so many ways), so while the storm raged around me, I was able to be anchored to Him. Isn't it just like our God to give me a new lesson to share with others?  

And now, it seems I’m in another season of spiritual battle. Will I remember the lessons learned in 2011 and seek God as my refuge and make sure I “suit up” with my spiritual armor daily?

With the Christmas season ending and the new year  beginning, I am so thankful that our Lord chose to become human and that His sacrifice provided a way for restoration of the relationship between God and us. God as my refuge - - I wonder what aspect of God will be revealed to me in 2018? 

GOING DEEPER:

1. What attribute of God have you seen most clearly in your own life this past year?

2. What can you do to be ready for what He’ll show you in this upcoming year? 

FURTHER READING:

2 Samuel 22:3; Psalm 92:2; Psalm 46:1 

Along with being a wife and mother to two teenage sons, Tracy is a ministry assistant at Oakwood and works with a great group of Junior High girls.

Not Enough?

by Becci Terrill

“But my God will meet all your needs
according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

I wonder how you would respond if you were asked to complete this phrase: not enough ________. What is there not enough of in your life right now?

Not enough time, money, food, love, joy, faith, room, patience, information, knowledge, wisdom, workers, attention, rest, sleep, exercise, energy, opportunities…

Have you been in a place where you’ve done (or are doing) all that you possibly can, but it is still not enough? Some well-meaning friend (and I do mean friend) comes up and shares how your situation could/should be different if only you would do more ______.

I’ve been there. The advice given may or may not be correct, but you walk away with the overwhelming knowledge that you are not enough.

Can you change? Can you be more? Can you be enough? Maybe. More often than not, however, you are doing the absolute best that you can as the individual God designed you to be. What then? Should you give up and live in depression as a failure?

We are not alone. In Scripture, Moses felt that way (Exodus 17). Elijah did, too (1 Kings 19). Perhaps you remember the story of Elisha, the widow and her little pot of oil (2 Kings 4:1-7)? How many more examples can you find in Scripture? Each individual was a regular person, just like you and I, who reached a point in their life where they felt they were “not enough.”

God reminds us in Romans 8:28, “We know that in all things God works for the
good of those who love him” …which even includes reminders that we are not enough. BUT, as it says in Philippians 4, “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength,” and, “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory.”

I am not enough, but HE IS ENOUGH. Being in the place of “not enough” forces me to look to the One who is  enough, and trust His plan and His provision - - whatever that might be.

A song that has taken on special meaning to me in this season of “not enough” is titled “Beyond Me” by tobyMac. It says:

You take me to the place where I know I need You

Straight to the depths that I can't handle on my own

And Lord I know, I know I need You

So take me to Your great ...

Take me to Your great unknown

May Jesus BE ENOUGH for you today!

GOING DEEPER:

1. Listen to the song “Beyond Me” by tobyMac. Click HERE

 to listen to it.

2. Read the book, A Little Pot of Oil  by Jill Briscoe.

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 31:24, 84:5; Isaiah 40:28-31; 2 Corinthians 12:9

Becci Terrill is a wife and mom to two adult daughters. She is the Children's Ministry Director at Oakwood Church. 

Worship

By Peggy Kleckner

“God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

John 4:24 (NIV)

I have spent some time pondering true worship. What does it look like? What does it feel like?

I have come to the conclusion that it is a mystery. There have been times when worship has been painful. Just to utter His words of truth aloud and to stay in the shelter of His embrace has been to deny all that I see with my eyes and all that I feel with my emotions. The words form from practice, from habit, and from deep within. Somehow, my heart still sings the notes that I, in my flesh, am not experiencing and I feel divided, a sort of a civil war within. My Captain is leading and I follow, though I follow in tears and great distress. I meet Him in the garden where He too poured out His anguish.

At other times, worship is a deep joy bubbling up and spilling out and into all the pockets of my life, the crevices of old wounds, the dents of this earthly life. My heart is singing and my body is dancing to the tune. I am lighthearted and lifted above the ordinary.

Sometimes a song leads me to worship, sometimes nature, sometimes a friend, sometimes a distress. So many views and glimpses of Him. So many opportunities to reach out and touch the hem of His garment.

How can one describe “worship”?

Why does Christ say that we must worship in spirit and in truth? I think it is because the Spirit is given to those who believe in Jesus as their Savior, those who are now called His children. How can anyone offer spiritual, from-the-inside-out worship to one whom they do not know?

Why truth? Christ called Himself the truth. Can I come to Him falsely, still denying my own sin? Yes, indeed I can. But I am then denying Him, denying the truth of my own need for a Savior. To deny my need is to deny God’s answer.

He wants me to bring out - - or actually, allow Him  to bring out into the open - - all the areas of my life that need healing, my hidden wounds. He comes to set me free, but I have to truthfully admit to my bondages.

To worship then also means to admit my deep need of a Savior, to bow down and ask for rescue.

How about you? What is the mystery of true worship…what does it look like…what does it feel like…?

GOING DEEPER:

1.  How do you worship Him in spirit and in truth?

2.  Have you been denying His right to rule and reign in any particular area of your life? Will you humble yourself before Him?

FURTHER READING:

James 4:10; Matthew 28:9; Matthew 4:10

Peggy is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield.

You Hear My Voice

By Stephanie LaCasse

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

John 10:27 (NIV)

“You know my voice! You know when I'm calling you!”

Exhausted from a day of zoo exploration, I firmly held the arm of my child and scolded him when he ran from me. The words echoed in my head as though the Lord were speaking directly to me.

I'd like to say that I always respond with “Okay, Lord, I'm here. What is it you're trying to speak to me.” But I think sometimes I run in the other direction, fingers in my ears yelling, “I can't hear you. La-la-la-la-la!”

The thing is: As believers in Christ, we cannot escape His words. In Psalm 139, the Bible tells us that we can’t ever escape Him: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” Isn't that reassuring that even though we may want to run, He is there? Still pursuing us.

But it gets better.

The Bible assures us that this is a two-way street. “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly” (Psalm 5:3, NIV). The Lord hears us. He is there listening expectantly for His children to call to Him. To praise Him. To come to Him.

That day was over six months ago and I still remember those ten seconds of the day as if it were yesterday. The choice is mine (and yours). Do we run away with fingers in our ears, or respond out of obedience, “Lord, I'm here. What do you ask of your child?”

GOING DEEPER:

1.      What has the Lord been speaking to you? How will you respond today?

2.      In what way can you pray for someone who may be running away from God's voice?

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 18:6; Revelation 3:20

Stephanie is a mom of three young sons and wife to Dave, who is currently in seminary preparing for chaplaincy in the US Army. In her spare time, she’s employed at a law firm.

Light of the World

By Jeannine Sawall

“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

John 12:46 (NIV)

Christmas is undoubtedly my favorite season. It’s not because of the gifts or shopping, parties or plans, but because of the lights. Everywhere you look, there is the added sparkle of Christmas lights. Candles burn on mantles, icicle lights shimmer in the snow, ornaments reflect a thousand points of light as they dangle off the Christmas tree, even the heavens seem to declare the glory of that Silent Night with crisp, clear skies alight with the twinkling of millions of stars. Darkness is dispelled as the world is aglow in shiny celebration of the season.

And as the world celebrated Christmas by displaying the glow and shimmer of all kinds of lights, God celebrated by sending Jesus, the Light of the Word. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:5). Jesus is the Light who shines in the darkness that is too often life.

In the midst of our Christmas celebrations, we may have found ourselves dealing with the pain, fear, and despair that life sometimes brings. Jesus lights up our lives with love and hope. When we find that we’ve lost our way or are stumbling around in the darkness, Jesus’ light provides an open path to follow. If we feel overwhelmed and can’t see straight, the Light of the World illuminates our situation so we can gain a better perspective. Maybe the busy-ness of all that occurred this season has obscured your vision, and you can’t see past the long list of things you didn’t quite finish or still need to do before everything is packed away. Allow Jesus to clear your vision and see the real reason you celebrate once again. Jesus’ light, the ultimate Christmas light, shines forever, leading the world out of darkness and into life with God.

As this holiday season draws to a close, as you enjoy the many Christmas lights still shining in the darkness, take a moment and reflect on Jesus, the real Light of Christmas. Allow the glory of His coming to clear your head of all the distractions and busy-ness that take your focus off Jesus, and bask in the glow of His love and care for you. He has come so that we would no longer be in darkness, but alive in the Light of His wonderful glory and grace. 

GOING DEEPER:

1. Is there a situation in your life that makes you feel as if you are in a place of darkness? How might His light offer hope to you in this area?

2. Has the busy-ness of this past season caused you to lose focus? Allow the Light of the World to clear your vision and begin to celebrate Him!

FOR FURTHER READING:

John 8:12, 9:5; Matthew 5:14-15

Jeannine is a wife and mother of four great boys. She works in the property management business. Jeannine serves in several behind-the-scenes ministries at Oakwood and has a heart for those who are grieving.