Christmas Meditations by Sandi Somers

December is filled with memory-making experiences of Christmas. In our blog this month, our writers reflect on their own important Christmas themes.  

Go Light Your World

         Candlelight services are some of the most meaningful celebrations of Christmas for me. On one Christmas Eve, the pastor began the candlelight ceremony by lighting the white Advent candle of Jesus’ presence. The church lights were dimmed until all was in darkness, except for the glow of the Advent candles.  Then the pastor lit his and his wife’s small candles from the Candle of Jesus' Presence.

A hush fell on the congregation the pastor and his wife walked down the aisles to commence lighting our individual candles. As we each received the flame and shared with our seatmates, he instructed us to keep our candles low and cover them to further block out their light. Because we were seated, this was easy to do. 

After everyone had a lighted candle, our pastor instructed us to lift our candles high. Immediately the sanctuary was filled with a beautiful bright glow. Around me I heard people “Ooh” and “Aah”. While our musician sang, “Take your candle—go light the world,” I was amazed at how God dovetailed this service with my thoughts that very morning—God had brought Jesus’ words to mind: “You are the light of the world”

It was a holy moment, filled with profound meaning.

* * *

The memory of this candlelight service became even more powerful for me when, several years later, I toured Israel. While in Galilee, our tour guide quoted Jesus’ words from Matthew 5:14. “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” Our guide pointed to Safed, a city on a hill above the bowl of the Galilee valley. He added, “Jesus may have pointed to that city. Listeners would have understood Jesus’ message, as they could see the lights of Safed at night.”

 I thought of how Jesus taught His followers.

 “People don’t light a lamp and put it under a bowl,” Jesus said. “Instead, they put on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”

Then Jesus made His point: “You are the light of the world.”

Sometimes we misinterpret this verse when we say, “I should be a light,” or “I want to be a light.”

Jesus is not telling us we “should be” or “want to be” a light. He is saying that we are the light to the world. There’s a powerful difference.

* * *

However, being a light to the world is more than a metaphor to express how our faith glows to others. It is a spiritual reality, as I discovered in Haiti, a country dominated by voodoo worship.

While visiting a missionary friend, I heard a story of a witch doctor who had come to believe in Christ. He said that while a witch doctor, he sometimes could not look directly at Christians, because they emanated so much light.

Our spiritual light is real.

Our spiritual light is real to all who interact with us.

We are lit by the flame of Christ’s love for us. His pure light is ready to shine powerfully in us and radiate into the prism colours of grace: love, joy, peace and the other fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Jesus challenges us with these words: “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  

As we walk in love and obedience to Christ, we will reflect the radiance of Jesus to all who interact with us, so that they, too, can be transformed.

This Christmas, as we light the Advent candles or attend Candlelight services, let us reflect on Christ, the source of our light and salvation (Psalm 27:1). Let us ask God to show us how we can better shine His life into our own and others’ lives.