Advent devotion: Night light
Everyone has a nightlight of one kind or another; maybe it’s a fun superhero or the light in the hall or the streetlight coming through the window. It provides a sense of security, a habitual part of our bedtime routine, and helps us to see in the darkness. But what about the time when the sun is up? Do we have a nightlight then as well?
As the days shorten, meaning that many of us only see the sun on our way to or from work, I suggest we recenter on Christ as our nightlight. In His presence, we feel a sense of security which we can encounter only in Him. Knowing that Christ is ever with us, in our comings and goings, through the family time, shopping, wrapping, cooking, and everything else that this time of year entails, spreads a peace the same way that a child sees the nightlight.
And what about the habit of turning on or at least acknowledging the nightlight as we lay down? The evening routine is not the same without each piece of the puzzle: brush teeth, put on PJs, read a little, etc. What if we include Christ into a daily routine in much the same way? This practice through Advent of daily inclusion, just like the nightlight, will soon develop into a routine for the entirety of the new year.
The small bit of light emitting into the darkness helps us to see any number of things: where we’re going as to not stub our toe, that there are no monsters in the room with us, that stuffed animal that is next to us. Christ brings the same sight into our lives. We see those around us who need love and support, the areas of our lives where we need to focus, and the people around us already reaching out their hands.
This Advent season, let us turn to Christ the Nightlight as our source of comfort and security, a constant part of the routine, and light in the darkness of our lives.
Jon Snyder is pursuing a master’s degree in choral conducting at Western Illinois University. He sings in the St. Paul Chorale and is married to Pastor Kelsey Fitting-Snyder.
