I love pre-lit Christmas trees! What's not to love? We pull them out of the box, and WOW! — instant light. No untangling strings of lights or wrapping miles of lights round and round the tree. They are always perfectly positioned with each branch evenly lit. They are great — until those lights burn out — and that is where I am this year. I got one of my trees up, plugged it in, and waited to see the perfectly lit tree, only to find it was only partially lit up. What a job it is to find the bad light that keeps the others from lighting. Evidently, peer pressure is rampant in Christmas lights: one does it and the crowd follows. I even bought a little red tester gun to make it easier. With new lights to change out the bad lights, my husband and I tested everything that didn't twinkle. We worked steadily for two hours and tested a thousand lights. With each light that we replaced, we waited for it to be the one that would cause our tree to explode with light, but with each light, we became more and more frustrated. After we had tested every light with no success, I felt like a failure. One little light, and with all my powers, I could not find it. As I pined for my perfect tree, I remembered a Scripture that I just love.

Isaiah 40:25-26 – "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. (NIV)

I love this Scripture for many reasons, but I especially love the part that says, "not one of them is missing". I think God was driving His point with a little humour. Don't you love it?

I couldn't help but contrast myself — who couldn't find one lost light less than an inch long — with Him Who created the starry hosts and called each one by name without even one missing. How often do I forget how powerful our Creator really is, and how often do I try, in my frailty, to do things on my own without trusting Him Who has "great power and mighty strength".

My pre-lit tree is now adorned with old-fashioned strings of lights. The branches are not perfect, but it is still twinkling beautifully, reminding me of the starry host that our wonderful Lord brings out one by one with not one of them missing.

As you enjoy all the lights everywhere you look this Christmas, think about the stars that God knows and calls by name. Remember that you are so much more important than even the stars in the sky. He did not die for the stars, but He gave His life for us!

Prayer: Lord, help us to trust more and more, not only in Your great power and mighty strength, but also in Your great love for us. Amen.