Dillon Community Church

A few years ago, my family toured the Glenwood Caverns. During the tour, the guide turned off the lights so we could experience absolute darkness. In Summit County, we pursue dark skies ordinances to limit electric light impact in the night sky. Regardless, there is a lot of ambient light to guide our way through the night and shield us from natural darkness.

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With only stars and moonlight to pierce the inky darkness of the night sky, can you imagine being a shepherd in the hills outside of Bethlehem on the night of Jesus’ birth? In an instant, an angel of the Lord appeared, surrounded by the Glory of the Lord—brighter than daylight. “Terrified” is probably not descriptive enough!

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As humans, we have a hard time believing things we cannot touch, see, or hear. Yet, there are broad swaths of the light and sound spectrums that we cannot perceive. I suspect there are angels and heavenly “hosts” all around us that we simply cannot see or hear without God’s intervention. In this way, God can be bigger than all life and immediately beside us at the same time. While hard to comprehend, this concept should reassure believers everywhere.

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Growing up, my mother insisted on simple white lights on the Christmas tree. There was a distinct “Shalom” peace and calmness to the tree’s nighttime presentation, a subtle reminder that we are lost without Jesus, the light of the world. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)

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Bruce Butler
Elder