Unlit Chanukah Candles!

This week the Jewish people have been celebrating Chanukah, the “Festival of Lights.”  Each night they light another candle on their Chanukah menorah until, on the eighth night all the candles of the menorah are lit.  Many towns, including the new town in which I now live (Eatontown), have large electric menorahs in the town square or in front of the municipal buildings.  And, each night another candle is supposed to be lit.  But this morning, as I was driving by the large menorah set up in our town, I noticed that, although five candles plus the center one (called, the shamash) ought to have been lit, only three candles plus the shamash have been lit. In other words, they are two nights behind.  The result is, the Chanukah menorah in Eatontown is not shining as brightly as it ought to be shining.

Through the lighting of the candles, the Jewish people remember the great victory God gave to them at one point in their history and the miracle that took place—one night’s worth of oil lasting eight nights so that the Temple lights could burn brightly until new oil was found.  Not only that, but the holiday is a reminder that, according to God’s Word, one day light will overcome the darkness of our world.  And, the Chanukah candles speak to the fact that, God has ordained that each of our lives are meant to bring light into the darkness. 

Jesus said to his followers, “You are the light of the world.”  He talked about the fact that a light is meant to shine, not to be hidden.  And, he concluded by saying, “…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  (Matthew 5:14, 16 – NIV)  Jesus reminds us that, our lives are meant to shine brightly for the glory of God!  Each of our lives is meant to be like a Chanukah menorah, shining with ever-increasing light. Or as the Apostle Paul wrote, shining with an “ever-increasing glory.” 

Unfortunately, we all know that there are many times when we fail to shine as brightly as we ought.  Although we ought to be at a place wherein four or five or eight of our candles are burning, we have left some of our candles unlit. The end result is our lives fail to shine the way they were meant to shine. Thus, there is more darkness than there ought to be. 

The next time you pass by a Chanukah menorah this week, ask God to help you be the light that Jesus has called you to be, allowing your life to shine brightly for the glory of God.  Don’t leave any of your candles unlit!

Have a great day!  And, Happy Chanukah—go eat a latke or, at least a donut! 

Pastor Tim Harris