Advent - Love and Joy

The third and fourth advent candles stand for love and joy.  John, in the first words of his gospel, tells us that the Word that was at the beginning of creation, became flesh and blood at the birth of Jesus.  He was God in human form and the way he lived and the things he taught were to show us the Father.  Look to Jesus and we see God.  His love is unconditional.  Until that point in time the Jewish nation had laws that they had to obey in order to 'please God' but Jesus shows us that God is love and he loves his creation no matter what.  He doesn't put conditions on us.  He just asks us to accept him, as we are.  We could never earn his love, although some seem to try and feel that if they comply with certain rules then they are more pleasing to God.  

Jesus came to show us that the special relationship that had hitherto been between God and the 'chosen' race of Israel, was now for all.  Again as the well known verse in John's gospel says, 'God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son so that whoever believes in him might be saved'.  It is for everyone, without exception, without condition.  That is perfect love.  Love came down at Christmas!


A very popular song that we sing at Christmas is Joy to the World.  I think that the greatest joy at Christmas is not about the gifts received or given but when families can meet together and enjoy each other's company.  Of course I am well aware that not everyone is so blessed.  Some live alone and have no-one to share with, others live a long way away and are unable to meet up.  But when families can, it is indeed a great joy.  God's family is more than those who belong to a particular religion who might feel that they have the truth and are the sons of the Almighty.  Humanity is his creation.  We are all his children in the sense that he made us all.  Jesus came for all the world.  

God is love and it gives him great joy to share his love with his creation.  He shares his love with us in a special way through the birth of Jesus at this time of year and he also wants to share his joy with us, as we experience joy by sharing with others.  There will indeed be joy in heaven when this earthly family of humanity can live together and enjoy celebrating his love in whatever way they choose and are accepted in so doing.  God did not intend that his human creation should be a dysfunctional family, always arguing and fighting with each other.  His will is that all humanity can share together and enjoy what he has created on this planet, our home in the universe.  He wants us to live as one and reflect his unconditional love to each other.  May you know his love this Christmas and experience the joy of sharing and being together with others as God's big human family.

Advent - Hope

Last Sunday was the first Sunday in advent when the first candle of the advent wreath was lit.  The light of this first candle represents hope in the darkness.  When everything around is dark, the light of one, even small light changes everything.


I was brought up in a fishing town in the north east of England.  Along the coastline there were a number of lighthouses because of the number of fishing boats that travelled along that part of the North Sea.  I remember as a child, seeing wrecks of large boats that had been destroyed when they hit rocks that they had not seen.  The lighthouse plays such an important role in the safety of those aboard shipping vessels, both large and small.  At the coast where I lived there were two lighthouses, one on each side of the mouth of the river Tyne.  Even in the darkness, the crew of any boat searching for safe harbour knows that if they steer between the two lighthouses, they will arrive at the harbour.  

Once past the lighthouses, they can then see a number of small lights along the banks of the river.  These are known as the lower lights and guide the boat into the harbour in safety.  Out at sea, everything is dark, often only the light of the moon and the position of the stars act as guidance .  So the lights of the lighthouses are crucial in giving hope for a safe arrival in the port.

As we think of this first week of advent and the hope that the light brings, I remember the song we sing:

A light came out of darkness; no light, no hope had we,

Till Jesus came from heaven our light and hope to be.

We are also meant to be light in the darkness of this world, just like the lower lights.  The first verse and chorus of another old song reminds us:

Brightly beams our Father's mercy from his lighthouse evermore;

But to us he gives the keeping of the lights along the shore.

Let the lower lights be burning, send a gleam across the waves;

Some poor fainting, struggling seaman you may rescue, you may save.

We look at the world today and sometimes feel there seems little hope with so many problems.  We are reminded that Jesus, the light of the world came to a nation that was occupied by the Roman forces and was forced to flee as a baby with his earthly parents to Egypt as refugees.  Yet God was working in the darkness.  His answer is to bring hope to a dark world.  As we light our candles and our trees and put up our light decorations, let's remember that they are not just nice to look at as they twinkle in our homes but they represent hope for a world that seems lost and can't see the way out of the darkness.  Even a small light gives hope.