Light that does not begin with us


Tonight at the carol service, a message was spoken which really struck me.
It was simple yet profound: Light, real light …doesn’t start with us. We are not its source. We never have been.

This truth sits right at the heart of Christmas and the Christian faith.
Throughout Scripture, light is consistently shown as something flowing from God, not from human effort. The world receives light; it does not invent it. And Christmas is the moment that truth becomes visible with Jesus.

John describes Jesus’ arrival into the world as:

“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.”
 John 1:9

Light is not a human achievement or an emotional state. It is the presence of Christ entering human history.
He does not merely bring light; He is light. Christmas reminds us that light has a divine source, and any hope we experience begins with Him.

Joy, Hope, Peace, and Light!

During the service, four candles were lit to represent the four traditional themes through Advent: hope, peace, joy and light. Each of these candles represented something incredibly significant. 
The first Candle represented the hope which flows from God's Promises fulfilled in Christ to us. The second candle represented the peace that arises from God's presence rather than our own control. The next candle represented joy, which is found in the closeness of God's presence. And the last candle to be lit represented the light of God's truth breaking into human darkness.

Each candle exists to remind us that what we carry is something we first received.

We are not the creators.

Jesus calls his followers to be "the light of the world", while he also proclaims that he is " the light of the world." These statements may seem contradictory, but they are not. What it means is that while Christ is the source, we are the vessels. 
Our role is to reflect His light, not produce it. Just like how the moon reflects the sun, believers are to reflect what Christ places within them.  

 The Christmas Significance

The birth of Christ is not just a moment in history; it is the moment divine light enters the world. Jesus' presence did back then what it still does now: bring our world out of the darkness. 
The carol service was such a powerful reminder that we do not sustain, generate or replace light. We simply make space for the One who is light. 

My last thoughts:

We are not and never have been responsible for producing joy, hope or peace on our own. Our purpose is to keep our eyes fixed on God, the one who produces these things within us. 

Christmas, therefore, is not about performing but receiving. It's about opening our hearts to allow his light to pass through us into the world. Christmas is about recognising the beautiful gift we have been given: A light that does not begin with us, yet chooses to shine through us.

Love always, 

Ruby xo 

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