This year, Hanukkah, like most of the holidays we have experienced in the past 2 years, is going to look a little different. We still aren't really doing parties, family gatherings are small (if they're happening at all), and it's a lot harder than it used to be to find fun things to do to celebrate outside the home.
This doesn't have to get us down, especially when we get down to the roots of what Hanukkah is all about! Hanukkah is about having courage to worship God in the worst of circumstances. It's about standing up in the face of darkness, and shining the light of God no matter what the consequences may be. It's about coming together (whether that be physically or in spirit) to bring glory to God's name and remember all of the things He has done for us, and celebrate with confidence the things that He will do for us in the future. Hanukkah is about celebrating that God has always delivered His people, and He always will!
As Christians, Hanukkah is also about celebrating Jesus as the Light of the World and our ultimate Salvation! He is the key to our final and greatest Deliverance, from our sins and into the presence of God. He is also the Light of the World, and we are the vessels that His light shines through in the darkness that tries to take over the world around us. He is our hope, and in Him, we bear that hope to the world.
All of these things are things we can celebrate in our homes, and we can do them no matter what the world looks like around us.
If this makes you want to celebrate Hanukkah this year, or if you already celebrate it and it makes you want to celebrate with others, I have good news for you! For the first time ever, I have written a Hanukkah devotional this year! If you want to dive deeper into what I have discussed in this post, please join us this year for Light of the World: A Christian Devotional Guide to Hanukkah, an 8-day free PDF devotional! Each day I will provide you with a brief study on a different aspect of Hanukkah, some Bible verses to read and meditate on, some reflection questions, and I’ll even throw in a recipe or two! There will also be a group, either on Facebook or MarcoPolo, that I will host where we can gather virtually and go through this devotional together during Hanukkah (Nov.28-Dec. 5, 2021)!
If you are interested in this devotional and/or joining a group to do it together, please fill out this sign-up form and look for the PDF in your email in the next week!
Whether you join me with this devotional or not, I hope you have a wonderful Hanukkah and winter season. May it be full of light, love, hope, and peace!
