Spirituality: "Christmas Lights and the Lights" by Keith H. Graham

I sit alone in a darkened room facing a Christmas tree. It appears to be nothing more than a black silhouette. Relaxing, smiling, I flip a switch. Instantly, darkness vanishes, and a quiet explosion of beauty overwhelms the place. Multi-colored rainbows send their streamers in all directions, across the branches and into the darkest corners. Ornaments, once visible, now convert their sparkles into reflections across every wall and upon my eyes. The ceiling becomes an evening sky displaying galaxies of tiny, twinkling stars. Once again, I realize how much I like Christmas lights. They dispel darkness and create beauty.

Comfortable, I close my eyes and think about what happened in Bethlehem two millennia ago. Under the cover of darkness, in a dimly lit stable, upon a golden mound of hay, God placed His Son. Common shepherds – stationed on the hillside fields, performing their humble and necessary duties – were the first to hear the birth announcement. While bathed in the light of God’s glory, they heard the good news spoken by an angel. Later, stately Wise Men would be guided to the scene by the brilliance of a special star.

A song of joy now stirs in my heart because I know that the Baby laid in the manger was much more than an earthly newborn. He was Jesus, the Savior; He was Immanuel His Father’s very presence. He was the Light of the world Who could and would conquer the deepest, darkest corners of sin by the continuous, all-sufficient brilliance of His truth.

Again and again, whether at Christmastime or any given day of the year, I realize how much I love the Light. He dismisses darkness and creates the most perfect beauty.