Candle of Joy

In the dark of a shadowless night in the middle of nowhere, a group of shepherds were minding their sheep, minding their business, when the black sky was rent open with a great light. In the chaos of screaming shepherds and bleating sheep, an angel of the Lord reassured them with a booming, “Fear not!” He wasn’t there to hurt them, but to bring them “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

The hosts of Heaven had been waiting for this moment for a long time, since time was born. They were so full of joy that night, Heaven couldn’t hold them, and an army of angels burst through the sky and into song. It wasn’t an angelic rendition of “Happy Birthday” for Baby Jesus, but “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those with whom He is pleased!”

Our Savior, our truest King, had been born. Finally, after hundreds of years of silence, Heaven spoke again. Heaven sang again. To usher in good news of great joy for all the people. For all of Heaven and earth and everyone on it. Great joy.

My favorite part of advent, of the waiting, is the physical act of lighting the candles. When we lit the candle of joy this week, we had a glowing, tangible, reminder - light always follows darkness. No matter how suffocating the darkness is, in the countryside of Bethlehem or in your own weary heart, light is coming - to bring great joy. And that light will scatter the darkness “far as the curse is found.”