Skip to main content

Christmas lights thru the eyes of kids


Psalm 97:6  NLT
The heavens proclaim his righteousness; every nation sees his glory.

I love the lights.  The Christmas lights that are put up during this season and glow during the evening and night hours.  I guess you could say that what Clark Griswold put up in the movie Christmas Vacation is something that I would like to see.  There are places I remember from my childhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma that I drive back to when I am home during this time of the year.

Rhema is a Bible College in my hometown with amazing lights.  There are some neighborhoods that are spectacular.  Near Julie’s hometown there is place called Guido Gardens, built by a friend and evangelist Michael Guido that died a few years ago.  That place is amazing with thousands of lights.

During my childhood our church put on a living nativity that recounted the life of Jesus from the announcement of His birth to the resurrection.  A few thousand people would come see it every Christmas.  It was incredible and could take my breathe away as I experienced over and over. 

The beauty of God’s creation as well as what God does in the lives of people also takes my breathe away.  Seeing God’s glory is something that no one can turn away from when it’s almost too much to handle.

It may not be the same, but when you watch a child take in all the Christmas lights for the first time, you see some of the same expressions and feel some of the same emotions as when you see God’s glory.  It really is amazing.

1 Peter 4:13  NLT
Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

The tough situations in our lives cause us to look again.  We might look again at why we are struggling.  We may even ask if God is punishing us.  Yet God desires for His glory to be seen.  God will show up when we are looking for Him.  And His glory is overwhelming.

2 Corinthians 3:18  NLT
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord.  And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

The reason we see God and His glory is because He wants us to see and chose for us to see it, His glory and greatness.  On top of that we begin to see His work and His glory in our lives.  Don’t let this go to your head or make you think that you are as great as God.

God loves people.  He loves you and me, and the biggest parts of His glory are seen in the lives of the people He loves.  Yes, the mountains and the ocean as well as the sky declare and even scream His glory.  But people are His glory on a daily basis.

John 1:14  NLT
So the Word became human and made his home among us.  He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.  And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Praise God for His glory.  I long to see it.  Christmas reminds me that we can see His glory every day.  Let’s look for it even more.  His glory, like the lights of Christmas, are amazing!

NOTE: this post first appeared in December of 2013.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!
10 comments
Read more

wash feet, sharing hope

  John 13:4-5,14 NLT  So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow.  He served.  He valued and gave value to others.  That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet.  It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives.  Jesus said we should do this.  See the verse above.  Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....
Post a Comment
Read more

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.  One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns.  When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.  Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns.  Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.  Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"  Beverly said, "Why yes I do."  Edith said, "Well, what do you ...
Post a Comment
Read more