Hanukkah

The candles of Hanukkah were lit as a prayer of celebration was

uttered. Hanukkah is a commemoration of the Jewish people being

delivered from the oppression of the Seleucid Empire. The timing

places the celebration close to Christmas. While Christmas celebrates

the incarnation or birth of Christ, they both have other things in

common: lights, gifts, and joyfulness.

The menorah reminds me of a tree. I don’t mean to make

someone cringe at the thought, but, the idea is there none-the-less. I

remember my brother and I going out into the wooded areas and we

would find a pine tree to set up in our living room. We would get a

string of colored lights and decorate the tree with tinsel and

ornaments. Say what you will, but we need to light things up in these

dark days. We had the Christmas story told in Sunday school and we

were reminded that Jesus is our Savior.

Jesus is the Light of the world. Shine Jesus, Shine!