And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father (John 1:14)

Behold the Glory ~ Scripture Sunday

Posted on by Michele Morin

What is it about little white lights in December?

We wrestle a giant tree into our living room, and every year I do my level best to make the green tangly wires disappear into the fragrant branches so the small twinkly lights can work their magic. We place white lights in every window, wrangling extensions cords and running up our electric bill with utter abandon, because there is something about Christmas that demands a celebration of light.

John the Beloved Apostle opens his Gospel with the news that the kind of life Jesus ushers in is all about light, and it shines stubbornly and incessantly into darkness. Christ put the glory of God on display in real time. The shepherds bore witness to it on the night of his birth, and John lived alongside Jesus and could testify:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, radiates God’s own glory. When I have had occasion to describe the word glory to children, I’ve referred to it as “God’s shining greatness.” Nancy Guthrie explains, “Glory is to God what brightness is to the sun or wetness is to water. It is his essential property that flows out of who he is. So whenever God reveals himself, it is his glory we see.”

LORD, as we light the candles, festoon the tree, and illuminate the dark December nights from our glowing windows, we long to see your glory revealed in this world, revealed through our lives. By faith, may we reflect your glory.

Michele Morin

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Photo by Meadow Marie on Unsplash

Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four sons, four daughters-in-love, and six adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

25 thoughts on “Behold the Glory ~ Scripture Sunday”

  1. Michele, I have been so taken with our white lights this year partly because ours are also on white wires. Thank you for sharing your prayer, as it resonated with me deeply as I have been reflecting this past week. Blessings!

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  4. The lights of Christmas and what they symbolize are some of my favorite aspects of Christmas. The lights are what I most miss when decorations are taken down. But hopefully they’ll continue to inspire us to let His light shine in the darkness.

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  6. I like the poem at the end of your post. I pray to be a reflection of God’s love and glory. Did you know that candle lights in windows began with the Irish. Long ago the English didn’t allow the Irish to practice their religion (Catholicism) and they would place candles in their windows to let the priests (who were hiding in fields) that it was safe to come and say Mass. When the Irish came over from Ireland they continued putting candles in their windows at Christmastime.

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  9. I think the almost-universal love of Christmas lights is a heart-response to the Light of the world, whether people recognize it or not. Light symbolizes hope, comfort, guidance, and more. Our God is the source of these qualities, and all his magnificent qualities make up His glory. Wonder of wonders, we have the privilege to LIVE in the light of His presence (Psalm 89:15)! Thank you, Michele, for this glory-contemplation!

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  10. Beautiful post, Michele! We have had a pre-lit tree for about 5 years now. This year, some of the lights are not working. *tears* I’m glad the Light of the world never stops working!

    Thanks for linking up at InstaEncouragements! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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