One Candle Lights the Way

As we begin Advent, we light one candle in the midst of all the darkness in our lives and in the world.  It symbolizes our longing, our desire, our hope.  Three “advents” or “comings” shape our desire.  We want to be renewed in a sense that Jesus came to save us from our sin and death.  We want to experience his coming to us now, in our everyday lives, to help us live our lives with meaning and purpose.  And we want to prepare for his coming to meet us at the end of our lives on this earth.

So, we begin with our longing, our desire and our hope. 

When we wake up, each day this week, we could light that candle, just by taking a few moments to focus. We could pause for a minute and light an innercandle.  We could each find our own way to pray something like this:

“Lord, the light I choose to let into my life today is based on my trust in you. It is a weak flame, but I so much desire that it dispel a bit more darkness today.   Today, I just want to taste the longing I have for you as I go to the meeting this morning, carry out the responsibilities of my work, face the frustration of some difficult relationships.  

Let this candle be my reminder today of my hope in your coming.”

God of Love,Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us. He is a sign of your love.Help us walk in that love during the weeks of Advent,As we wait and prepare for his coming.We pray in the name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.