The Light of Christ’s Love

Romans 13:12 says to us, “The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” As we make our way along God’s path through this Advent season we catch glimpses of the light of our heavenly home. These hints come to us as a favorite hymn. They also come as a renewed awareness of the forgiveness and peace God offers through worship. They especially come as that wonderful taste of the Heavenly feast when we celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

These glimpses thrill our hearts and remind us of the wonderful place waiting for us. The candles on the Advent wreath remind us to prepare for the day that is rapidly approaching. Paul reminds us of this same fact in our Romans passage.

Like a beautifully lit house at Christmas time, Jesus shatters the darkness and fills us with the warmth of His glorious light. He is the Light of the World who came into the darkness and vanquished it through His suffering, death, and resurrection. In our baptism we shine like stars in this dark night of sin, giving those who do not yet know Jesus Christ a brief glimpse of God’s love through our words, attitudes, and actions. May we always be His lights, shining brightly in this dark and selfish world bringing the light of Christ’s love to those around us.

Children Matter to God:

The Bible makes it clear that children are uniquely God’s special gifts. If you examine what scriptures say about children, you will see how precious they are to Him. In His eyes, they represent a multitude of attributes and possibilities. (The following list is from George Barna’s “Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions”):

• Children are a gift from God. He grants children to adults as a special sign of His love to us and as a means of personal fulfillment.
• Adults receive special blessings through their children. God provides supernatural benefits of many types to family and friends through children, and He matures us through the challenges of parenting.
• Children are desirable. From the beginning of human history, God has instructed us to have children to be fruitful and multiply.
• Children need to be taught how to think and act in relation to God and His ways. One of the greatest adult challenges is passing on appropriate knowledge and behaviors to their progeny. We were created to be in relationship with Him, so our understanding of His nature and expectations is a significant undertaking.
• To have a fruitful relationship with God, children must be taught to obey Him. Obedience is one of the central duties of humankind. Throughout scripture, God exhorts His people to be raised to follow His commands and reap the benefits of such obedience.
• Children are so valuable to God that He commands us to protect them. Parents are supposed to ensure the spiritual and physical security of their children.
• God wants to have a genuine relationship with His children. Accordingly, He describes how children may enter His presence and enjoy His company.
• God loves children enough to ensure that they receive discipline. Regardless, of the manner in which that shaping is provided, it is a reflection of His passion for a child’s well-being.
• God enjoys the nature and personality of children. The Scriptures specifically identify attributes such as sincerity, humility, naivete, vulnerability and simplicity as qualities found in children, and He treasures these characteristics.

These perspectives from God concerning the importance of children provide a clear message to us. If children matter this much to Him, then they should matter as much to us, too. God does not just want people to be saved from eternal damnation, but He wants them to be transformed in every dimension of their earthly existence by the miracle of His grace. God relies upon us, parents, teachers, pastors, leaders, etc., to deliver the guidance and experiences they need to grow in their understanding of love for and obedience to Him. Children are a gift from the Lord. Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.