Tonight I attended a candlelight service at Granger Community Church. It has been years since I have been to one and this particular one began at 11pm and ended a little after midnight. It was wonderfully put together – with beautiful lighting and imagery and worship songs interwoven with thoughts from the pastor and many verses that told the story of Jesus coming to earth to pay for our sin and give us salvation. The light of the world has come.
Took me back to the days at Perth Bible so many years ago and our candle light service. No media in those days, no fancy lights or bands. Just a simple auditorium and a piano, reflecting on the goodness of God who had brought us salvation. Our tradition was to light our candles beginning with the oldest Christians first. Those who had been saved for 50+ years began, and then younger and younger. The room started out so dark – with only a few candles burning, but as the time grew closer to the present, the room was filled with bright lights from hundreds of candles burning. It was so beautiful to see the testimony of God’s salvation come to so many in that room.
Tonight we sat and lit our candles and held them high across the room where again, hundreds of people gave testimony of their thankfulness that indeed, the light of the world has come and has given us the amazing gift of salvation.
The Lord is good, and we are not alone. It is good to be reminded of that in these days. May each of you experience the love of Jesus today as we celebrate His birth with our friends and family.