Advent Day 2, "Walking Lights"

Over the weekend we welcomed a new Grandchild into our family.  Iris June came in at 5 lbs, 2 oz. - when I held her in my arms for the first time I said "You are a beautiful, you little peanut".
Over the weekend we decorated the house.  Before our little girl made her entrance, Linda, Andy and I went out to our favorite Christmas tree farm and found this years tree.  Then when Linda took off to the hospital, Andy and I decorated the tree.  First we took the lights out and hung them on the tree.  There is a magical moment when you get all of the lights on the tree and turn it on for the first time.  While there is always that "does it look good?", there is more.  I love that moment after darkness settles in, and the tree is decorated, and the lights go on... the lights take over and no matter how soft they be, they are more dominant than the darkness.

Think about that this morning as we read these passages from the prophet Isaiah some 700 years before the coming of Jesus.

Isaiah 9:1-2 (NIV)
¹ Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan--
² The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. 
AND then later in the book...
Isaiah 42:1-16 (NIV) 
¹ "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.
² He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.
³ A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
⁴ he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope."
⁵ This is what God the LORD says-- he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:
⁶ "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
⁷ to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
⁸ "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.
⁹ See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."
¹⁰ Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them....

¹⁶ I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. 

Advent reminds us that God has come to pierce the darkness...it does not make any difference if the light is small...one light speaks more loudly than the darkness all around it.  Maybe that is why Jesus uses that same analogy to speak of us...that we are lights...Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV) 
¹⁴ "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.


Yesterday morning in our Worship services we sang the song, "Here I am to Worship".  It's a beautiful song of declaration...that our purpose for being together, and our great desire in singing, praying, listening, speaking is to worship our God.
The song begins with the words:

"Light of the World
You stepped down into darkness
Open my eyes let me see

Beauty that made this heart adore You

Hope of a life spent with You

Here I am to worship,

Here I am to bow down,

Here I am to say that You're my God

You're altogether lovely

All together worthy,

All together wonderful to me

King of all days

oh, so highly exalted

Glorious in heaven above

Humbly You came 

To the earth You created

All for love's sake became poor

We are walking lights!  Our lives show forth the beauty of Christ as we worship him every day and live in him.  1 Thessalonians 5:5 (NIV) 



⁵ You are all sons of the light and sons of the day...

Decorate the house with lights, and let that tree be filled with lights, and walk as Lights my friends, as you walk in fellowship with Christ.