MONDAY MEDITATION: A Christmas Eve Memory (December 23)

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned. — Isaiah 9:2

A few inches of snow had fallen on Christmas Eve in Poplar Bluff. Streets were not plowed. But as a teenager who had had a deeply moving encounter with Jesus a year or so before, I was determined to make the 11 o’clock candlelight service. So, I bundled up and began walking the mile and a half to the 1st Methodist Church, on Main Street.

It was like walking in a scene from a Hallmark Christmas movie, just without a couple gazing longingly at each other. A blanket of snow covered everything, and jumbo multi-colored outdoor Christmas lights–the kind we had back then–reflected softly in that white layer. It was a sacred journey. However, the sacredness was tempered after a while. After 30 or so minutes in this winter wonderland, I was FROZEN.

But finally I arrived at church, trudged up the steps, and opened the door. A rush of warmth suddenly engulfed me. Softly shining lights invited me in. A holiday-decorated sanctuary–Christmas tree, garland, a manger scene, candles everywhere–felt like home. Sitting down in a pew, surrounded by some stalwart parishioners who braved the elements, warmed me inside and out.

And that’s the message of Christmas. Life can be cold and dark. We look for signs of beauty and hope, like the colorful lights shining against the snowy blanket. But there are grace-filled times we discover–given to us as a gift–that remind us that warmth and not cold, light and not dark, define our lives. And the surest signs are the faces of those around us this time of year, reflected in the candlelight.

Wishing you all a warm and well-lit Christmas!