Ray on Monday: Different Christmas Candles

On Sunday I shared in a Church service where candles had a feature role. These were not so much referring to the Light of the world at Christmas. Rather, they were candles of remembrance for those who had died. People had an opportunity to light a candle and reflect upon a loved one and pray to the Lord, thank Him for the person’s life, faith and influence.

Christmas has so many emotional stirrings and not all of them good. The loss of a loved one especially around Christmas can turn a joyful event into one of grief. When I read the first Christmas story I find that the coming of Christ was into a world of sorrow, fear and anger. (Sounds similar to today doesn’t it!) He came as Saviour yet the forces of this World fought against Him, even in His childhood. In Luke’s account, a man named Simeon told Mary she would have an experience as though a sword had pierced her soul.

Christmas doesn’t cancel out the loss and sorrow of life. Its promise is that the Lord God has come to stand with us in it. To achieve such a relationship Jesus had to become our personal Saviour. Only then could the swords which cut, hurt and maim be blunted, resisted and their cuts healed. In effect, one of the features of celebrating Christmas is to take heart in the fact of our Lord sharing in our history.

Christmas in our History

Christmas time they tell me

Is for peace, joy and family.

All I can see is rampant misery

Across homes, hearts and countries.

Christmas faces the darkness

With its message of forgiveness

Christ’s unfading light

To guide us through life’s long night

Christmas time has its crosses

When again we taste our losses

With memories bitter sweet

Our minds determine to keep.

Christmas candles cause reflections

Calming sorrow’s hypertensions

The symbol of its flame?

Christ’s comfort in our pain.

Christmas the Bible tells me

Is God sharing our history

With love’s testimony

To hallow all our memories

©Raymond N. Hawkins 2011