And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.
- Genesis 1:14-15

We’re going to be spending some time this week getting ready for the Best Christmas Ever, which (incidentally) is the title for our new series, which is starting this weekend. We want to take what we’re already doing around the holidays and make the most of the spiritually significant opportunities that God provides us in this season.

Today’s passage comes at the very beginning of the Bible and the very beginning of history. It calls to our minds the weeks leading up to Christmas when neighborhoods filled with darkened houses one-after-another begin to find themselves decked with twinkling lights. At the beginning of history, God hung lights in the cosmos.

How delightful!

The good, beautiful, creative work of God fills the world with joy and wonder. God’s word to create light formed the opening salvo in his great work to create the world in which we all live. Without God’s creative work, we’d have no table for Thanksgiving feasts, no homes to decorate, and no Christmas to anticipate.

God’s work to hang the lights prepares the way for Christmas. The lights hanging in the sky on the days of creation continued shining on the day that God was laid in a manger. Those same lights hang over us this holiday season, twinkling reminders that our God values good, creative beauty.

As you approach Christmas and see Christmas lights popping up in your neighborhood or your neighbor’s cubicle, remember that our God is good, beautiful and creative.

What part of God’s creativity do you most appreciate? Thank him for that and take a moment to celebrate that today.