I removed the artificial Christmas tree from the storage box. How hard could this be, three pieces that fit together on a stand? I assembled and displayed in front of the window overlooking the lake. This was going to be a beautiful display for the world to see (well, at least for ice fishers on the lake).

There were a number of light cords on the tree that needed to be connected. For the life of me, I couldn’t’ figure out how to connect them so I could plug into the wall outlet.

So there sat my unplugged Christmas tree. The WOW factor I had visualized was nothing more than a mass of fake greenery. There was no illumination to brighten and showcase the decorations I had planned to add. The only bright side (yes, pun intended) was there were no pine needles dropping on the floor as I crawled between branches trying to figure it all out.

Ever felt that way?

You know, crawling around in branches that stab, scratch and leave marks on uncovered body parts. Hopefully, your life hasn’t been unplugged as often as mine. All I can say is count your blessings for either making the right choices or having luck on your side.

Life can be a mishap of tangled cords that we repeatedly trip over as we fumble through prickly branches in search of a way to connect everything to a power source. Just when we think we have it figured out, we plug in the cord and there is NOTHING!  Sometimes a few strands light up, but some bulbs defiantly refuse to give off light.

And then…

I found an extension cord. As soon as I plugged it in to a power source, the tree lights sparkled like diamonds.

Sometimes life leaves us unplugged and we find ourselves searching for a power source that will connect us to the light. Jesus stands ready to take all the unplugged cords in our life and seamlessly connect them to illuminate the darkness; if we let Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER:

Father God, You are the creator of light. You illuminate the dark skies with stars, the moon and countless constellations. You illuminate daylight hours with the brilliance of the sun.

I ask that you take the unplugged parts of my life and connect them to your divine power cord and cause my life to shine brightly for you. Be the extension cord that brings power to the tangled, unplugged cords of my life.

Amen