What Hanukkah Means to Me as a Christian

 

I lit the candles in the wrong order many times before

 a Jewish friend watched me and said, "What are you doing?" 

Now I light them the way they do. 

Many things I did as the world does them before I knew Jesus, the Light of the World.

Hanukkah is a miracle. Triumph, safety, freedom, light in the darkness. There was a fierce battle like the one we are in now. The temple was taken. The menorah was stolen. Salvation was on the way, but everything they could see and touch and feel told them otherwise. Like now, maybe. 

The light returned. The small amount of oil was enough. 

I believe this story is like another. In the following the oil in the lamps is the Lord. Knowing Him means your lamp is full. Is yours? Even a small amount? What if He returned right now? (Jesus is the bridegroom. In these verses He returns for His bride the church, which is every believer, not a building or organization. It's us.)

Matthew 25:1-13

"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."

Happy Hanukkah

 

Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. 

It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts 

walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.

 John 10:22-23

1 Peter 3:10-11

 

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

Ice Songs

 

Did you know ice sings? It does, like us. 

This is a dear, old friend of mine who I have never met or spoken to in real life. But this is better than real life, isn't it? In real life I have wet socks and dirty coffee cups and my hair's a mess. Oh, and the Ancient Spirit she mentions? I know Who that is. Do you?

Good

 

A whisper came on the wind, reminding her of bitter days. Bitter? Yes, but the memory colored the present. It made her grateful. Now the hearth was full of firewood and little shoes and drying socks. Bellies were full. Tears had been wiped away. Songs sang themselves. Had the battle been won? Truthfully, she had not really expected to win, but here they were. It had been won, the long war of mankind over the centuries, eons and days and forever. It was done. She was tired, but danced anyway and rejoiced and stood astonished at the sound of peace. They had never heard it before, this pause, breath, the still, soft whisper that reminded them all what they had been given. It was good.

1 John 2:23

 

No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.

What Happens to the Lie?

 

The time came when he could no longer lie. He was a thief. Maybe you are too. He confessed. He told on his cohorts. He would no longer hide the truth. It came out of him like floodgates had been opened and he let it. Suddenly the facts mattered more than the fiction of his entire life, the trying to make something that is not, is. Only God can do that, yet man tries over and over again. He spoke. His friends were appalled. His enemies gloated, though they were guilty too. He told everyone what they had planned, the theft of us all, our very souls. Nevermind the wealth. True wealth is breath in our lungs. He was certain that now he would not even have that. But. He drew a deep breath and his friends drew back from him and left him alone. The truth had defended him, though moments before he had not imagined it would.

All Who Wander are Lost.

 

I have this hat.

It says, "Not all who wander are lost."

But I disagree

with my hat.

All who wander are lost.