For the first time in nearly four decades, Christians will celebrate the birth of the coming of Light of the World on the same night our Jewish friends celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. History tells us of the ancient Maccabees’ triumph over religious persecution, and the Jews rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.
At the time . . . , there was very little oil left that had not been defiled by the Greeks. Oil was needed for the menorah . . . which was supposed to burn throughout the night every night. There was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil … An eight-day festival was declared to commemorate … the miracle of the oil, not the military victory: Jews do not glorify war.http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday7.htm.
Despite the ongoing slaughters of Jews throughout the centuries, the Jewish people survived. Sadly, to this day, they continue to fight for their deliverance—their freedom to exist. They are living proof our God keeps His promises. His Word is true. He has not abandoned them.
On this same night 2016 years ago, our God sent a child to deliver us. There are, however, people bound to the darkness of addiction. Families in despair, fighting for their deliverance from the disease of addiction and co-addiction, do not give up hope. Our God keeps His Promise. His Word is true. He has not abandoned us.
Those of us who fight against the bondage of substance abuse know the importance of paying it forward. We exist because someone showed us life, and that life was the Light of all men. The spiritual light our Higher Power gave us is the right to survive—free from shame.
The 12 Step reminds us of the hope, the candle, the light we carry in our soul. – – –
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Whether the source of the light comes from the miracle of the Menorah, or the Star above a manger, we have the gift of inner peace. Let’s take our candle and light the world.
Our Lord and God, you are my lamp. You turn darkness to light (2 Samuel 22:29 CEV).
