The word is... light
Ancient church mothers and fathers often greeted one another with the phrase, “Give me a word.” This greeting led to the sharing of insights and wisdom. Today we continue this tradition with this monthly column.
By Rev. Mandy Sayers
Pastor, Covenant UMC, Gaithersburg
When I was a kid I used to love driving by this particular Arby’s fast food place in Macon, Ga., where I
Our family loves to go see Christmas lights, and to light candles on our Advent wreath, and
What I’ve noticed this year is some of the light displays that used to thrill our little tykes are no longer so thrilling now that they are teenagers. Our son requested going to see some “new lights” instead of the old tried-and-true displays we’ve gone to for years.
At
The light that Christmas brings, the Light of the World, is not a gigantic twinkling Arby’s hat, or even a breathtaking Santa’s Workshop light display. It’s not something to be
No. The Light that is Christ shines in darkness – the darkness of divisiveness and injustice and oppression – and it lights a pathway through it. When that happens, we are called out of our comfort zones and
Christ’s Light shows us the way to the Christmas God has in mind – where everyone living in darkness can walk in the Light of the Lord. God’s giving the Light of the world this Christmas – it’s even brighter than an Arby’s hat or last year’s drive-through light display.
We don’t need to be afraid of the dark with a flashlight like this. Remember, “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
By Rev. Daryl Williams
Pastor, St. Paul UMC, Oxon Hill
You don’t really know you’re home until you have to navigate it in the dark. You think you know where everything is, where the walls are and how all the furniture is positioned, and where you left everything right up until you have to do it all without light. This revelation came to me as I went to get a glass of water a few nights ago. When I went to bed I had left everything just so, but somehow in the
The first recorded words of God in Genesis 1:3 are, “Let there be light!” It is not that I think God stubbed His toe or didn’t know where the cosmic couch was, I think God understood that man simply does not do well in the dark.
No matter how well laid out we have our lives, or how we think we have it all together, there are always dark times when we will stub our toe, cry out in pain and be looking for light. In times of sadness, heartbreak, loss
Luckily for us, there is always a light no matter how dark the time we find ourselves in. You see, when God said, “Let there be light,” he turned on the lights in the heavens so that we could see. Long after that when we had lost our way again, God sent His son Jesus to be the light of the world.
As we enter into the Advent season, take some time to remember that in all the shopping, the planning and the celebrating, we are really celebrating that there is still light in the world. Do not be afraid, do not worry, just remember that God said, “Let there be light,” and His son said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Today and every day, there is light. May you have a joyous and light-filled Advent and a very Merry Christmas.