text: Growing up in Australia, Christmas was very different to what I experience now. For one thing it was always very hot, because December 25th in the Southern Hemisphere is in the middle of summer. Also, because of the summer sunlight hours few people would bother with Christmas lights. How different it was when I came to the U.S.A.! Christmas decorations and lights are everywhere. I have to admit, I love Christmas lights and the whole Christmas atmosphere.
  No matter how beautiful, Christmas would be a hollow celebration without the true light of the world – the Christ child. You and I live in a dark world, and I don’t just mean the early winter evenings. Sin and death, sorrow and pain fill our world. Evil takes no Christmas vacation. Even in this holy season you and I can succumb to greed and jealousy. The Bible says, “the wages of sin is death.” Left to our own devices our future would be very dark indeed. But that is why Christ was born. God became one of us to save us. He is the Light that shines in the darkness. Jesus grew up to live a pure life without sin, he died with your sins and on Easter Sunday morning he overcame the darkness of death in his resurrection. Now all who believe in him bask in the light of his forgiveness and will have eternal life. This holiday season remember the most important Christmas light – Christ the Lord!