The month of December is a time that is filled with family, too much food, gifts, traveling, laughter, and family fun. December is such a busy time that it is easy for us to forget why December is important. It is the time we get together as the family of Christ to celebrate the birth of Christ. Yet during this time when we gather together, we are distracted. It is hard for us to keep our minds on Jesus when we are focused on holiday events in our life. So how do we get our hearts and minds focused? One way of doing this is when you get to church to sit quietly and reflect on the things you see around you. You see the altar, the cross, the baptismal font, the candles, the worship hymnals, the Bibles, etc. All of these things are symbols of what God has done for us in Christ.
The altar reminds us that God sacrificed his only Son so that we may have life and have it abundantly. It is the table where we gather together with our Lord and share in the meal that gives us forgiveness and hope for the future. A sign of God’s grace to us.
The cross reminds us of what kind of Lord we have in our life. Christ was not a king of royal robes and luxury. Our Lord is one of real sacrifice and pain for us. He suffered a horrific death so that we would not have to. This is a sign to us of unconditional love.
The baptismal font reminds us of the waters that cleansed us from our sin and put us right in our relationship with God. It is that very water that starts our journey of faith and puts the Holy Spirit into our lives as a guide. We are never left alone. We have God’s love in our hearts and protection around us.
The candles remind us that Jesus is our guiding light in the world. A light that punches a hole in the darkness in our lives and brings us hope. We can then be that hope to others. With this light in your life, you can surely brighten someone’s day this Christmas. Compliment your loved ones, assist a frazzled friend, thank those who give you gifts, listen to what people have to say and speak from the heart. Let the shining Light of Christ flow out from you. Let each light be a reminder that the shining light of Christ is all around you.
The hymnals remind us that we worship here together. That no matter what happens outside of this worship space, that for a brief time we are here in one Spirit sharing our common unity in you. It enables us to give back to you and to share with you our hearts because of what you have given to us. It is a reminder to us that there is Someone that loves us unconditionally no matter what we have done. It is our safe place to be and find peace.
The Bibles contain God’s Word to us. This Word gives us a stronger relationship with our Lord. The Word is how we come to know God and to experience him in our lives. The Word offers us hope, inspiration, comfort, love and direction. The Word helps to live our lives more boldly and to share with others our faith.
Christ’s glorious revelation- announced to us in these symbols sheds new light on everything around us, and brings blessings into our life. Experience them as you sit in worship and let these gifts come over you as you reflect on what God has given to us in the Christ Child. Let’s take a look at where Christ’s light is shining! Blessings, Pastor Shannon