Light One Candle
In this first week of Advent we light one purple candle. The other two purple candles and the pink one are left unlit. When you light your first candle of Advent ponder on the light that God brings to our lives.
Lighting candles at Advent helps us think about the Father of Lights who sentHis Son who is the Light into our world. James 1:17 says it this way, “Everygood and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenlylights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Advent is about Hope.Just lighting one candle brings hope to the darkness. Light overpowers darkness.
As you light the first candle of Advent think about the Father of Heavenly Lights.He does not change like shifting shadows. He has been bringing light to thisuniverse from the moment He began creation (Genesis 1:3). Perhaps the greatestlight He ever sent was His Son as a baby at Christmas. I still remember the momentthe light of Christ penetrated my heart. I was only seven years old and a ChildEvangelist was teaching about salvation. He told us that Christ loves me butthat because I have sinned he can’t be with me. He died on the cross andif I believe in Him I will be able to live with Him forever in heaven. I hadheard that same message many times in my short life, but that day I describeit as if a light bulb when on in my head. I received the light of Christ andI have been saved from my sin and had a destination of heaven after this lifesince that moment.
Isaiah 60:1-2 says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the gloryof the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darknessis over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.”If you find only darkness in the world you live in, let your heart turn to thelight. The light has come. The glory of the Lord has risen on us. He brings Hislight and gives it to us. We are now His torches lighting the darkness by revealingwhat a relationship with Jesus Christ can do for us.
A great light has invaded our universe. The glory of God is with us. We remindourselves in the Advent season that we no longer live in darkness. Not only dowe celebrate the coming of Christ as a baby in a manger to live and die and beraised again to pay for our sins, but we also consider the Light of the Worldwho lives in all believers now and will come again Himself to take us home toheaven’s pure light.
The first Sunday of Advent we light the first candle and we also mark the beginningof the church year. The New Year brings with it the ever growing light that penetratesall that is dark in this universe.
Here is a prayer for you: “Lord God, we light this candle to thank youfor your Son our savior Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world. We who havesat in darkness have seen great light, the light of Jesus Christ, our salvation.We give you thanks and praise in Jesus’ name, because he lives and reignswith you in your glory, and in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
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