Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.
Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26, NRSV
On my commute home, if I glance off to the left at just the right moment, I see it: the family farm we each year, in search of our Christmas tree.
In just a few weeks, many of us will start shifting the furniture and digging out the ornaments and setting up the Christmas tree in its place of honor. (If Instagram is any indication, many of us have already started doing so — perhaps we’re feeling some deep need to jump-start our Christmas joy.) In just a few weeks, we’ll put evergreen trees in our living rooms, evergreen boughs on our window sills, and evergreen wreaths on our doors.
The Christmas tree, with its twinkling lights on its evergreen branches, has always been one of my favorite Christmas decorations. (I’ll be honest, church: I’m always a bit devastated each January when it has to come down.) For me, the experience of sitting in a darkened room, one lit only by the lights of a Christmas tree, is a kind of beauty that borders on pure magic. I’ve always loved my Christmas tree.
Yet this year, I don’t just love it; I’m desperate for it. I’m desperate for a reminder of the truth deep in its evergreen boughs: life continues in the darkest and most inhospitable of seasons. It does not succumb to the long nights or harsh circumstances. It does not end. As the season of Advent draws near and the season of covid-tide intrudes on it, I’m more desperate than ever for that reminder of unending life.
So trim a tree, friends.
Breathe in the smell of rich pine.
Take in the sight of that vibrant green.
Remind yourself of unending life,
and praise the One who offers it to you.
Blessings,
Pastor Candy
Remember, friends:
Our God is bigger than coronavirus.
Our vision is bigger than coronavirus, too.
We are people blessing people.
We are Wesley Church.
Want to know more?
- Learn about our church and its ministries: https://wesleychurch.com/
- Make a gift to support our mission: https://wesleychurch.com/giving-2/
- View our recent messages: https://wesleychurch.com/sermon-message-on-video/
- View previous devotionals: https://wesleychurch.com/pastor-candys-devotionals-2/
