By Ashlie Miller

“There are two types of people — those who like white lights and those who like colored lights. And they marry each other.” I read this in a Facebook post and chuckled at how true those words are. You may have your own strong opinions about the subject, but there is something about twinkling lights on a tree or candles in the window this time of year.

They remind many of us of the skies that first Christmas night. The New Testament book of Luke in the Bible tells us that when shepherds in the fields looked up, a multitude of heavenly hosts filled the sky and the glory of the Lord shone around them. No wonder the shepherds were filled with great fear. They were familiar with the heavens and had never seen anything like this night. Lowly shepherds, the least of the least being the first on the guest list to see the king born in a manger. Nothing had ever been proclaimed to them, and now — a loud, illuminating proclamation they would never forget.

Not only were heavenly beings lighting up the darkness above, but a new star, the Bethlehem star, was being intently followed by wise men who would only find precisely where the star was leading after a journey of a couple of years. But we know that “when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2:10). Wise men dabbled between pagan understandings of the sky with a lifelong search that had never been quenched. They followed a star, remembering something about the prophecies of those chosen people they had heard so long ago. That star! Who else saw this star, knew it to be something out of the ordinary, but dismissed it? Not these. They pursued it until it led them to worship.

Psalms 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Never was this more true than that spectacular night!

Yet, the glory was not merely above the clouds proclaiming through songs of angels nor something mysterious shining in the celestials. The glory of God had come down to earth as Emmanuel — God with us. We call him Jesus.

Today, God is with us in the person of His Holy Spirit, abiding in hearts that make room for Him. Yet, we still wait for Jesus to come and dwell among us again in a perfect home.

Many of us do not have the blessing of living in vast country spaces devoid of city lights or even streetlights. We cannot have a clear, unobscured view of the night sky in all its glory. Even if we did, nothing compares to the evening Christ was born. Yet, maybe with childlike wonder, we can drive to the neighborhood nearby adorned in festive light, a drive through that Christmas village, or even simply do as my youngest children and grab a cozy blanket and a pillow and lay under the Christmas tree, looking up into the colored or white lights above.

Close your eyes and imagine that first Christmas night and give thanks that the message came to you wherever you are.

Ashlie Miller and her family compromise with both colored and white lights. Her 7-year-old’s favorite tree can do both lights with a fun switch that he has discovered.