Tomorrow, the Sunday before Advent, we pray that God will "stir up the wills of His faithful people". The stirring up of the will is something that we cannot achieve in our own strength. We make short bursts of activity, and then fall back and are discouraged. Our wills are stirred to effective action when we face a challenge which we know demands prayer. Then we become strong when we know that God has a work for us to do.
In our times, as always, we are being called to believe in the living God, who has a purpose which He is working out for His church, for his world, and for us. To believe in that way. . . that God is in charge and greater than all is supremely wonderful . . . but not always easy. In Advent, we have time set aside for prayer that we may be made ready to accept and receive the phenomenal news of God's entry into His world in the Bethlehem stable.
It is sad when we hear people say that they dread Christmas. More than likely, the central message that the loving God is with us has been swamped in the fuss of all the necessary preparations for the festival. The tree has to be decorated. Things have to be arranged for the kind friend who is to come down the chimney! A host of lovely traditions have to be observed. A children's tradition of lighting an increasing number of candles during Advent, symbolising the light of faith, clearly points to faith being essential in our festivities.
When we are stirred by Christ's Spirit to be rid of obstacles to faith in Him, and to declare allegiance to the infant King, we are in good company . . . with Mary and Joseph . . . with the shepherds. We are at one with the faithful of all generations in the peace process called the kingdom of God.
We know satisfaction in saying words in the Creed: "He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and His kingdom will have no end." A Christmas hymn expresses confidence in the kingdom that will have no end. In the beginning God said: "Let there be light", and in the Gospel we have hope in words of the Prince of Peace: "I am the light of the world."
For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet bards foretold,
When, with the ever circling years,
Comes around the age of gold:
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendours fling,
And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing.