Let There Be Light!

The human eye is an amazing and complicated organ. 

We can distinguish 10 million colors through our eyes! Our eyes are constantly adjusting light exposure, admitting the light to the interior of the eye and bending that light so it is brought into focus. Our retina processes the light signals before sending the information to our brain, which then interprets the data and tells us what we are seeing.  All that happening at the speed of, well... light!

Even though the science of the eye and our vision is difficult for me to grasp, it is nonetheless fascinating to think about the miracle of sight. There is one element that must be present for any of us to experience the miracle of vision - Light!  Without light, we cannot see.  No matter how perfect our "vision", if we live in darkness, we experience only blindness.

"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all."  1 John 1:5

In this New Year, may you experience Light.  May He live in you so that you become "the light of the world."

Be love and be blessed,

We Are All Shepherds

A seemingly unremarkable child was born over 2000 years ago in a stable, among the pungent odor of animals, hay and earth. The infant’s bed was a wooden box used to feed the livestock. It was likely crude and dirty by our standards and certainly not sterilized with anti-bacterial wipes. His parents had meager possessions and no special social standing in their community. Traveling by donkey, in the final days of her pregnancy, Mary must have been quite uncomfortable and frightened. She wondered where she would give birth to this baby whom the angel told her would be called the “Son of the Most High”.

The first humans to receive the announcement of the baby’s birth were shepherds. Shepherds were not of high social or economic standing. Their jobs were unglamorous and downright dangerous as they protected their flocks from predators 24 hours a day. It was a lonely, nomadic existence. As is often the case, there were good shepherds and unscrupulous ones. Those unsavory characters tainted the profession to the point that it was considered a “disreputable occupation”. So, what does it mean that God chose to appear in His glory to those whom society deemed unworthy or of questionable character?

Listen to the Words of the Good News Angel – “But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.'" (Luke 2:10-11)

Hear the inclusiveness in the words. He doesn’t say “I bring news to the Jews or to the rich or to the kings and their courts”. He says I bring good news for all the people, and I’m starting with you - shepherds who are not well clothed, not rich, not respected, but nevertheless loved and valued by the Creator of the universe. The angel goes on to say the child is born “to you”, to all of us, not just to Mary and Joseph or even their extended family, but to all the people on earth! Jesus came to save all and belongs to all mankind!

How did the shepherds response to the Good News? They were told where to find the baby, but they did have a choice. They could have chosen to stay with their flocks and keep the angelic visitation to themselves. They didn’t. The shepherds traveled to Bethlehem and found the baby in the manger and marveled at the miracle made known to them. Their next choice was to become our first “evangelists” or those who “share the good news”. So, the story of great joy was shared throughout the world.

And, what better news can be shared than knowing that each one of us has been blessed with a Savior who will render sin, and even death, powerless if we too accept the good news of great joy! It matters not our social standing, our bank account balance, our successes, or more importantly our failures. The Ruler and Creator of all of life loved us enough to come to earth in human form, lie in a dirty manger among smelly animals without fanfare so we could experience great joy, acceptance, forgiveness, and life everlasting. May you experience those precious blessings now and in the New Year.


Merry Christmas!

Be love and be blessed,