A TREE FULL OF LIGHT

By Jay Pearson

 

The approach of the Christmas Season finds many scrambling to locate just the right tree and the lights to go on it. Many are searching for a tree that has the lights already on it. This saves time and saving time is important because there is so much to do: decorating the house, shopping for gifts, planning the festivities, etc. It’s so easy just to assemble the tree, plug it in, and move on to the next task.

You know it seems the faster we go in this world the duller we become. In the blur of business we loose sight of the details. The slower we go the sharper our perceptions become to life and the living. I exhort you to slow down this Christmas season and reflect on the Tree of Life and the Light that came into the world to lighten our path.

Luke 2:32:
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

Revelation 21:23:
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Revelation 22:14:
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

The hustle and bustle of Christmas can dull our sense of purpose. The purpose of the celebration of Christmas is to glorify God and his Son, Jesus Christ who is born to us a savior. God’s present to us is his only Son. You can’t go to “Toys-R-Us” and buy one off the shelf. He is the one and only Son of God, a gift to you. There are many look-alikes and wannabe’s, but only one Jesus Christ. He was born in a Manger, announced to Shepherds, worshipped by Wise Men, and presented to the world as Savior and King.

Acts 4:12:
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

It is a blessing to give gifts and to receive them. I truly enjoy both, but this Christmas I don’t want to be walking around with the short-sightedness of this joy. I want the awareness of Christ in my Christmas, of the Light, as he is the Light and the Tree of Life. Every time I see a Christmas tree I want to see my Lord. I want every light on housetop or tree to remind me of his Light.

I just returned from Africa where it was very dark at night. When I walked in the darkness it didn’t matter how long I walked or how far I went, it was still dark. Not until someone turned on a flashlight, or torch as they are called there, did I walk in the light.

1 Peter 2:9:
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Colossians 1:13:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

1 John 1:7:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

God has delivered us from darkness by his light, Jesus Christ. Let us walk in his light this Christmas and praise God for his gift, the greatest gift of all time, Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

 

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From the December 2005 issue of The Vine & Branches