Back to Normal?

In him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5 ESV

Often our Christmas celebrations end on Christmas Eve. We’ve remembered the stable, the star, the wise men shepherds and Mary. But don’t forget that the next day the shepherds went back to their sheep, the angels to Heaven and Joseph probably got a room at the inn. In other words life pretty much got back to normal – or did it?

The Bible tells us that in Him was life and the life was the light of men. When did that tiny baby begin to shine God’s light? Could it have happened as Mary comforted his cries when they fled from Herod’s soldiers? Could it have begun in Egypt where they lived for years as immigrants and fugitives? The Bible isn’t specific about the details, but tells us that all through those supernatural days and every other day, God’s light was still shining in Jesus.

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So on Christmas morning, whether you are watching your children open gifts or if you are alone with a cup of coffee remember His light is still shining for you. He didn’t come just for days when the wise men opened gifts, the angels sang and shepherds wondered. Jesus came for every dark day. Jesus was born to walk through every war-zone, sit at every kitchen table and ride along in the ambulance to every emergency room. He doesn’t leave us when we fail, get in trouble, or fall ill. He stays through good times and bad. He is not only the light of the world: He is the light of our world and no darkness can ever put it out!

 

In the Light of Day

If you think of darkness as a loss of the ability to see the path ahead then in all honesty it feels like a very dark time in my life. My plans for the future have been a bit scrambled by my wife’s battle with cancer, changes related to my partial retirement and the seemingly unending struggle to find where exactly we will be living next year.

Though the details of your life may differ the

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challenges remain the same. We are all put to the test moment by moment to decide where we will choose to go, how we will decide to get there and who we will travel with. In the swirl of daily battles our hope remains in the promises of God. He has promised to be our light. all we have to do is to follow. We do not need to know in advance the twists and turns, the cliffs to climb or the dangers that lie ahead. We do need to completely trust that He has promised to walk ahead of us and to lead us all the way to the city of God!

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11:10

Telling the Truth

My problem with telling lies was that one lie was never enough to stay out of trouble and my parents had an uncanny way of figuring out the truth! One of my most liberating discoveries was to realize that while the truth was not glamorous it carried the gold of peace in its handbag.

When I am finished with trying to appear holier or more successful than others God gives me a new opportunity to begin a journey with Him.

Jesus not only knows the truth about my situation but He is willing to walk with me and cleanse my heart from every lie. What a blessedness to simply be who we really are without excuse except the blood He shed. Other roads may look like they are paved with gold but the only way to the golden avenue is to walk right next to Jesus up the street we live on!