There is a slogan “Let’s take the waiting out of wanting” which is typical of the way we are manipulated into wanting things that don’t last, although we fool ourselves that we shall be happy if only we have them.
Christianity, along with all other religions, knows the wisdom of waiting for something or someone of true value. The promises made to the Hebrew people that our future is worth waiting for have kept them in hope for more than 5,000 years. The promise stated in the reading of the Holy Quran gives Muslims the daily hope of a relationship with Almighty God.
Advent is that time when Christians wait for the fulfilment of the Promise. This is a promise that we can hardly understand and is dimly echoed by our childhood experiences of “Christmas morning” and the presents under our tree. The love and thoughtfulness that our parents put into preparing Christmas for us is a vague shadow of a much greater experience of Our Father which is to come in the future.
Advent can be a time of preparation for the Coming of Christ into our own lives. What might that mean?
Well it might increase our hope that “things might get better”. This little development should not be overlooked as many people struggle with ill health, money worries or disappointments.
It might mean an increase in kindness – both to others and ourselves. How many of us judge ourselves harshly for being merely human, easily upset, sinful?
It might mean an increase in peace within ourselves. A peace that Almighty God gives us if only we ask Him for it. A peace which helps us carry on even with all our difficulties.
This Advent you might like to use an Advent Calendar to reflect each day on how hope, kindness and peace are as important for us as vitamins and calories. What we truly “need” is given to us each day by a Loving Father.
Of course it is easy for us to complain and gossip. But how does this help? We can worry and get angry. But how does this help? This Advent try and make some time for yourself to notice that Christ has promised us “life” and that He has invited us to ask for what we need. Try it. Instead of writing to Santa Claus for things, write to Jesus and ask Him for Peace, Kindness and Hope.
RSS Feed