By LaNelle Martin
My grandson had seen my Christmas village lit up during the daylight hours. He had picked out his favorite buildings in the village and commented on the little people and the snowy trees. But when he stayed late at our house one evening and saw the village lit up in the dark, he was impressed. He exclaimed, “Wow! REALLY WOW!” Then he headed downstairs to get Papa Dan. He carefully led Papa Dan into the dining room, calling him to come into the darkness. After the appropriate oohing and aahing was complete, he ran back into the well-lit kitchen and instructed, “Now, come into the lightness!”
I think we can take this invitation to heart this Christmas. We need to come into the “lightness” that God has given us through Christ Jesus. The apostle Peter, in 1 Peter, tells us that we are called “out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
Of course, the “lightness” that my grandson was speaking of was simply the presence of light. Jesus spoke of himself as the Light of the World. A line from my favorite Christmas carol says, “Light and life to all He brings, ris’n with healing in His wings.” In a passage that is very familiar at Christmas time, the apostle John speaks of Christ, reminding us that “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). Living in the light that Christ gives us means depending fully on Him, realizing that we have no life or light without Him. We don’t just need a little help, we are completely lost without His help!
Lightness is also the opposite of heaviness. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” We tend to try to “carry our own load,” and we become weary because life keeps adding to that load. Christ invites us to find rest in Him. “From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in Thee” is an appropriate Christmas prayer from another Christmas carol.
Just as Emmett was thrilled by the picture of light in the darkness, we can be renewed in joy and wonder as we remember that Christ came as the Light. I hope your Christmas is one of, “Wow! REALLY WOW!” as you turn your heart and “Come into the Lightness” of Jesus!