I Lit a Candle and Prayed
Candles have played an important role in Christian worship for hundreds of years. While not often used in the more Evangelical faith tradition in which I was raised, my heart has always felt stirred when candles are lit during a Christmas Eve or Good Friday service. Often, during personal devotional time, I begin by lighting a candle, which reminds me of the HolyTrinity:
God the Father:
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. (Genesis 1:1-4 ESV)
God the Son:
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)
God the Spirit:
When Jesus was preparing his disciples for what was about to happen, he comforted them with the promise they would be given the Holy Spirit to guide them as they continued to carry on his message.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth … (John 6:13 ESV)
I bet those disciples had no idea how dramatically they would soon encounter this “Spirit of truth.”
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit …” (Acts 2:1-4 ESV)
In May 2023,when Ron and I spent two weeks in Italy, we visited MANY churches. Churches in Italy, I mused, are as plentiful as Starbucks in Seattle! There was never a charge to visit a church, but one way in which visitors could give was through an offering to light a candle and pray.
As we traveled throughout Italy, a country I had long wanted to visit and which I grew to love, I kept a supply of Euros in my purse for offerings, and at each church, I lit a candle and prayed to Father, Son, and Spirit. Prayers of gratitude plus prayers of petition were sent heavenward for:
Thanks for over 40 years of marriage and guidance for the next season of Ron’s and my life journey;
Our daughters and their husbands;
Our siblings and their families;
Our grandchildren who are living today as well as subsequent generations of grandkids;
Our North Idaho community and faith congregation, as well as our home country, the USA.
Beloved friends who are embroiled in a painful legal situation;
Gratitude for men who have in the past or who continue to be instrumental in my “soul formation;”
Women who have been the same. Dear female friends involved in full time ministries, as well as a group of very broken women for whom I pray regularly;
Wisdom and strength for my own current and future ministry;
Finally, and probably most importantly, the burning desire in my heart that the world in which we live will somehow, in some way, experience an authentic, unifying reformation of God’s great love.
Big prayers, I know, but somehow, lighting a small candle and praying in those splendid, ancient churches in Italy bolstered my courage and faith to make “big asks” to a very big God who always was, is, and will be.
Blessings on your journeys,
