Advent is a time of waiting. As I travel through this season, so many things echo a single theme. The candle's flame never shrinks as it lights further flames. Just as God's love never shrinks as it lights the fire within us and our love never shrinks as we pass it from one to another. A story of growing flames has come to me to explain the advent candles...
There was once a woman lost in the darkness, searching for anything that would make her life lighter, filled with HOPE that life would not always be this way.
And one day, after much searching, she found a single candle and lit it. And by this candle, she began to see what her life had become. She set about working to clean things up. She used the flame to light a fire to warm herself and began to wish that others could enjoy this warmth. She decided to cook food over the flames and to invite people to join her. She cooked, shopped, decorated and prepared in FAITH that the people would come.
And they did come! They gathered around the fire and shared stories! They filled their plates, as the room filled with laughter! And when it got dark outside, the woman lit more candles to keep it bright within! When the singing began, it was no surprise for who could contain the JOY of sharing such blessings!
But as it grew late, the visitors grew anxious. They knew that they would soon have to leave this place of light and enter back into their own darkness. The joy would be but a memory. The darkness would overtake them. But then, how could it if they kept the memory alive? What if they could take some of the light with them? What if their light could spread just as the woman's light had?
The woman knew what was in their hearts and minds. And the LOVE that she had found had given her a solution. She began to give out the candles that she had bought for just this occasion. And as the visitors carried their candles into the dark, she knew the light would continue to bless their homes! And she smiled from deep within as she planned her next gathering!!
May your advent be blessed with thoughtful meditations!! Get ready---He's coming!!
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