Rev. Ray and Pat Amos
Jeremiah 12:5
THOUGHT FOR TODAY, December 5, 2019
“Meanwhile, the fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must never go out.”
Burning a Yule log is among the oldest Christmas tradition there is. At first, burning a Yule log was a celebration of the winter solstice. In Scandinavia, Yule ran from several weeks before the winter solstice to a couple weeks after. This was the darkest time of year, and the people celebrated because days would start getting longer after solstice. The Log is an especially large and hard log that burns in the fireplace. It cannot burn by itself, but needs other smaller logs and kindling wood to burn with it.
The church is my Yule Log for life. I need the church or my fire will go out. If a stick of wood is removed from the other burning wood it will soon extinguish and lose its purpose. It can also be very difficult to rekindle after it has grown cold. That is why it is so important that Christians stay in the fellowship of their local church.
The Yule log burns in the darkest time of the year in anticipation that the darkness will pass and give way to longer days of light. That is constantly true for all of us. Those long dark nights come to us at different times. When they do it is important that the log is burning bright in the hearts of our church family around us. Think of how many times we have been encouraged to keep on going and look for the light of a new day because we are a part of a church that is on fire for Christ.
I want to be a part of its fellowship this Advent and Christmas as we sing the hymns of the season, read the Scriptures, present Cantatas and Christmas plays. I want to help the Yule Log burn so others in the community can warm up by its glowing and perhaps find, Peace on earth and Good will to all.
It was the custom of the English village people to sing a certain carol as they brought in the Yule log on Christmas Eve each year. They would burn the log to symbolize the triumph of light over darkness. They would watch the flame grow and glow; then they would sing:
“The First Noel, the Angels did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; in fields where they lay keeping their sheep on a cold winter’s night that was so deep… Noel, Noel; Born is the King of Israel!”
Grace and Peace, Rev Ray
Link to Youtube – The First Noel
