I decorated our tree this past week.

The boxes had come down from the attic the night before and sat strewn about in our living room. If I wanted to get prepared for Christmas and bring some order back to the room, it had to get done on my days “off”.

Putting on some Christmas music, I looked through the boxes to locate the lights. Pulling them out reminded me of how much I disliked them. In my haste last year to purchase new lights as our old ones had begun troublesome, I grabbed several boxes without looking closely at them.

Only once home, did I discover the wire was white and not green. Who knew the wires were now coming in green, white, and even blue?

But last year, I had no time to head back to the store to do a return and so we kept them.

Pulling them out on that morning, I was struck on their color – white. Perhaps it was because it was also snowing outside and there was whiteness everywhere. And so I began to wind them around the branches, plugging in each string to be certain all were lit.

Holding the strands in my hand became a holy moment as the words came to mind:

“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12, NLT)

His Word brings light because He is The Light.
To those dark situations or circumstances in our lives, He sheds His Light.

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.” (Isaiah 9:2, NLT)

We may live in a dark world, walking about in a dark place, but we see a great light.
His Light always shines.

As I finished decorating the tree and then plugged it in, the lights emanated from the branches. Their sparkle gently filled the room, a hushed peace entering my home and heart.

I no longer minded the white wires for I hardly noticed them at all, as the light was my sole focus. The words of Luke flooded my thoughts:

“Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.” (Luke 1:3-4, NLT)

Luke investigated and researched everything in the history of Jesus’ life in order to give to us an accurate account in what became the Gospel of Luke. Through these words, we are assured of the truth.

Luke, the beloved doctor, paid attention to details. “He wrote with the mind of a careful historian and with the heart of a loving physician” (Warren Wiersbe).

Much the way Luke wanted Theophilus to be certain and confident in what he had been taught, these same words give us the assurance of the truth we hold in our Scriptures.

“For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.“ (John 1:17, NKJV)

The lyrics to a beloved Christmas carol now begin to fill the room …

“He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The light of His righteousness.”

(from Joy to the World)

Jesus came to bring Truth, Grace, and Light.