I have heard hundreds of sermons over the course of my life and attended a handful of Advent services. As I consider all of these messages, from the magical to the mundane, I can honestly say that few have left me with the practical day-to-dayadvice one pastor imparted when he pulled a “plastic gun” from his pocket and introduced the congregation to the wonders of the Light-Keeper-Pro (which makes the bold claim that it is the complete tool for fixing light sets and pre-lit trees — and it really works). Not only does this little invention make my list of top five all time bits of worldly wisdom from the pulpit, it is also one of the greatest inventions of modern technology.
Let me explain. When you attach this toy-like innovation to a string of Christmas lights and click the trigger — something wondrous and unexplainable happens. It brings light where there was none before. My wife was putting up a string of lights the other week and plugged them in to find that several were not working. She retrieved our mystical Light-Keeper, pulled the trigger several times, and before we could pour another cup of eggnog the room was filled with the soft glow of Christmas lights. Take hope all you burdened with strings of burned out overused holiday lights. I will forever be indebted to Pastor Jonathan for introducing me to this little miracle.
When we sat down the other night as a family to light the Advent candles and read Scripture, I was reminded of the Light-Keeper-Pro watching my young children click the button on a childproof lighter over and over attempting to ignite their assigned candle of the Advent wreath. The darknessat our tablewas slowly consumed with the warmth and the comfort of each candle — hope, joy, peace, love…
The images and sounds of my children lighting those candles and reciting the Scriptures for eachmovement of the Advent celebration has been stuck in my head. I think many of us feel like an old string of Christmas lights this time of year.I have certainlyexperienced thatsensation lately…These moments of remembering the Season in the quiet candlelight of our kitchen has played the role of the “Light-Keeper-Pro” to my burnt-out bulbs.
That is the true gift of the Christmas observance, isn’t it: To remind us of the illuminating love of God’s gift to our world, to our neighborhood, to our very lives?
“I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.” John 8:12