Let Your Light So Shine

This past Advent, we began each of our services, as many churches do in the season of watchful waiting, by lighting the candles of our Advent wreath.

Each Sunday, at three services, a family was in charge of lighting the appropriate candles and reading the corresponding Scripture and prayer, thus ushering us into a new week of worship, wonder, wanting, and waiting.

But, before those tall white tapers could be lit to indicate the approaching in-breaking of Christ, there was one great challenge to be overcome. You see, our Christ candle, the source of light in our worship, from which the Advent candles borrow their flame, was 25 yards from the waiting wicks of that watchful wreath. And the light-bearer who would collect the flame on his candle lighter was faced with an arduous journey. As a congregation, we would hold our breath, in anticipation and hope, as the one who carried the flame attempted to step with care, so that the light would not go out. The flame would flicker at every whisp of breezy air, and our eyes would widen as we wondered if the tiny bit of fire would make it.

Most arrived at the wreath and lit the candles with success. But just in case, our sacristan stood by ready with a bic lighter (not Augsburg standard issue) to step in if need be.

"It's hard to carry the light of Christ," the pastor leaned over and whispered with a smile.

And indeed it is.

Epiphany. Aha! I get it. I saw the light. We have seen the light.

Guided by a star, the wisemen journeyed. Guided by a light in the darkness, so we travel through life's winding pathways. And, being washed in water and the Word, we are called to be that light too. A difficult task. Sometimes we step lightly, lest our flame be put out. Sometimes, we do, against the clear instructions of the Sunday School song, hide it under a bushel basket, so that others may not judge, or even worse...hold us to our responsibility as light bearers, forcing us to match our actions to our proclaimed belief. And once in a while, the road stretches out too far before us, and the distance between our flickering flame and a waiting wick overcomes our light, and we are snuffed into darkness.

"What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it."

Sometimes, to us, it may seem like darkness has won. We've been put out, and shining is beyond our capability. And then we recall, however faintly, that the source of our light is Christ. You see, being a Child of the Light isn't about a bright shiny attitude that we conjure up even when we don't feel it. It's about an inevitable glow, that started with a star, that grew to a crescendo as glorious beams streamed from a tomb, as life overcame death, as Christ became our light.

"And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever."

So even when we feel overcome, and the wick of our soul is dark. Christ stands by, with a bic lighter of all things, to step in and reignite our hearts again.

Christ-bearer, Baptized Believer, Child of God...you are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.