God … comforts the depressed. II Corinthians 7:6 (NAS)
Our city is known on the Canadian prairies for the extravagant Christmas lights people put up to decorate their homes and yards during the festive season. Contests are held for residences and businesses to see who can come up with the most attractive displays. Buses are available for those who want to view the winning entries without getting caught in traffic. Nor is all the attention restricted to the locals. Pilots often comment that they know they’re over Winnipeg by the extra glow they can see on a clear night.
Once the holidays are over, however, the lights go off one by one, and we enter the dark, forbidding month of January, when the sun sets around 4:30 pm and doesn’t rise until nearly 8:00 am.
At our Bible study one January night, we had been discussing the dark spots we encounter in our faith walk. I had run into some myself. After experiencing the lighthearted joy of the Christmas season, I felt as if my soul had suddenly been plunged into heavy darkness. It was as if my spirit was a corridor and someone had walked down it and switched off hope, ambition, initiative and expectations.
Then I saw it. Perhaps someone had simply forgotten to unplug his outdoor Christmas tree, but there it was, shining like a faithful beacon. Remember, it seemed to say, that Christ has come. He is with you, guiding you, lighting your pathway.
Thank You, Jesus, that when courage fails, You provide that one spark that relights my enthusiasm.
