Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Christmas Tree Reflections

From the very first year of Vital Signs Blog (2005), I repost this Christmas-themed note that came from a dear friend and spiritual mentor from the early years of the Christian Brotherhood, Abe Penner.

I find myself staring at the Christmas tree with all the lights and the beauty that it shows, and at times I am reminded of something a fellow Christian said one day at Christmas time. It was very profound and I will always remember it. 

He said, "Isn't that tree really pretty with all the lights, decorations and gifts under it? Do you know what that reminds me of? It reminds me of the three trees in Scripture. The first tree was the tree of knowledge, and how Adam and Eve were not to touch it, but because they touched it the second tree had come, and that was the tree of Jesus' cross on which Jesus died for our sins, but then because of that death we will be able to partake of the tree of life described in Revelation.

The lights remind me of John 8:12, that Jesus is the light of the world, and that if we follow Him we will be led to eternal life. The gifts under the tree remind me of God's gift of His Son (John 3:16) Who would die so that we can be saved." I had never looked at the Christmas tree like that before, and what he said will stick.