Remember this Christmas line? “The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow, Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.” It is of course from The Night Before Christmas and it captures the scene here in Michigan last night. It was our first real snow fall and when I went to take the dogs out it was truly the “lustre of mid-day”. It is the reflection of all the light around us, reflecting off the white snow.
You don’t need to be a preacher to see the Christmas symbolism in that. The world is able is “see” when it is covered in something pure enough to reflect God’s love and light. And yes, we are the snow in this metaphor. I read daily devotions that often ask me to stop down and just absorb God’s love, to let it sink in and revel in it. Don’t get me wrong, that is how the process begins. That is how we get to some version of “pure”. But it doesn’t stop there. God’s love is not meant to be simply absorbed, it is meant to be reflected or shared. “This little light of mine; I’m gonna let it shine.” God fuels our light, our Christmas light ….don’t waste it. Let it shine.
Here is our verse from the paper chain:
Luke 2:9 “Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. And they were afraid.” Go out and look at the Christmas lights all around us, a reminder of God’s glory shining in the night saying: “Christmas is coming.”
God’s light shines on the shepherds and they are afraid. Sharing God’s light in the world can be scary….more on that tomorrow.
Grace and Peace at Advent
Myra