Devotional 12-8-22

 Lectionary Readings:  Isaiah 35: 1-10; Psalm 146: 5-10; James 5: 7-10; Matthew 11: 2-11;   Luke 1: 46-55

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5: 14-16. (NIV)

I have been very blessed over the past few years to volunteer at Ebenezer Community Outreach in their after-school program for elementary aged children.  I tell or read a Bible story, help them with a related craft, play a game and share a snack.  I am positive that God uses this activity to help me become a better servant, but I hope I’m planting some seeds.  Earlier this Fall I was sharing the above verses from Matthew to teach them the song: “This Little Light of Mine”.
  
I had different lights to show them, such as a lamp, a lighthouse, a flashlight, a candle, etc.  We turned out the lights in the room to demonstrate how important it is to follow a light in the darkness and connect to the source. I said something like, “God loves us and sent Jesus to be the light of the world and because we believe in Him, He lives in our hearts and shines out to others when they see us sharing, being kind, loving one another, etc,….  One little boy looked very upset by all this and said, “What happens if you don’t believe in God or Jesus?”  I was a little shocked, but I’m sure that God gave me the answer: “God loves us anyway! He always loves us first and waits for us to love Him back!”  The little boy explained that he believed but his older brothers did not.  (I think he had talked about God at home and his brothers had been teasing him.) “God will always love you and all your family, even if someone doesn’t believe in him right now!”  

God loves us always. His grace and mercy are endless and everlasting.  He waits for us to awake to that love, even as we are distracted, unbelieving, shortsighted, and inattentive. He continuously sends His message of love to us in many forms and through many people –especially through a child’s eyes or a baby’s laugh. He is patient with us, just as the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crops, and for the rains to come to the dry land. (James 5: 7).  It seems that He gives us daily chances until we acknowledge that we walk in darkness and need his great, guiding light.

As we all prepare for the coming of Christ as a newborn baby, may we pause once again to ponder the mystery of the love that came to all humankind through His son. May we open our hearts to the coming of God’s Light and share the light with all we meet.

Christ Be Our Light
Longing for light, we wait in darkness,
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
Light for the world to see.
Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts,
Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light!  Shine in your church gathered today.
                                       ~~~Bernadette Farrell

Chyrl Budd