Let the force awaken!

One of my favorite parts of the Christmas season is driving around and looking at the wonderful lights decorating homes in our area.  Even though we have no snow this year (it was over 50 degrees today), the lights just seem so wonderful.  This was my favorite from our drive last night.  The best part of all the Christmas lights is the LIGHT!  The darkness of this darkest time of the year is dispelled by all of those extra lights.  Which brings me to my actual thought for today.....

Okay... I am a Star Wars fan.  There, I said it.  You might have guessed what the topic of this blog was going to be just from the title.  Yes, Ken and I went and saw the newest addition to the Star Wars movies last Friday evening.  The basic "theme" of Star Wars is the force - the light - verses the dark side.  Doesn't that sound familiar?  Good verses evil.

You can appreciate the light when it shines in darkness.  And that leads me to the thought that has been going over and over in my mind and spirit since Friday night.  LET THE FORCE AWAKEN!  We can all agree that the world seems to be getting darker and darker with each passing day.  It is time for all of us "children of God" to wake up and shine like stars!  We are THE force....the Holy Spirit living is us is the power we have to reveal the light of Jesus to the world.  We just need to wake up and SHINE!  Many would say that the church has been asleep in the last several decades.  The darkness has just been growing and the light has been getting dimmer and dimmer.  But the good news is that the battle between the light and the dark has been fought and won!  Jesus finished the battle on the cross.  THE light - Jesus - defeated the darkness and brought all who believe into the light eternally.  Our task right now is to shake ourselves out of the greyness and be the light.  The power of the Holy Spirit is so much more than the "force" in the Star Wars movies.  The Holy Spirit is the power that raised Jesus from the grave.  It is the power of the Holy Spirit that acted to create the world, after the Word was spoken.  That is some POWER!  And for those who believe in Jesus, that very same powerful Holy Spirit, lives within you.  So nudge yourself awake and SHINE!  Our dark world needs everyone of us to be the stars of this life.  We can each make our corner of the world brighter.  Just think of it like decorating with Christmas lights.  Let the love of Jesus shine through a big smile on your face.  Give a warm hug to someone who most needs it.  Send some light out into the darkness by sharing the bounty of your life with those who have great need.  Give of your time, your talent, your money or your things.  Today there is a simple way to make a big difference The Compassion Collective.  Take a moment, click on that link and see how a few regular people are shining a BIG light into the dark world.  Be a part of this wonderful bright, amazing love pouring out to the world.  Yes, let the force of the Holy Spirit awaken in all of us.  

Jesus, I love it when you use something like the current "big" movie to remind me of what is so important.  Holy Spirit, give us all that wake up call to let your light shine through us.  Give us creative ways to bring light into the darkness of our world.  Thank you for Christmas and this season to focus on the greatest gift....your birth.  Bless all those who are a part of The Compassion Collective. Amen