Thursday – First Week of Advent

When adverse weather hits closer to home, such as flooding in Cornwall, or severe winter weather in Britain, we realize that we’re just as vulnerable and helpless as our fellow men and women in less developed countries. But at least many are able to stay snug in our centrally-heated homes, connected to the world via the internet, and with electric lights by which to read. All the comforts of technology and modern living tend to insulate us from the realities of life, until we receive a sharp awakening from the rain, floodwaters, and winds of life which blow and assail us.

For some, these may be natural calamities: about ten major typhoons a year strike the Philippines, so having one’s house collapse is a real possibility and a fact of life. But for others, it may be personal illness, accidents, or bereavement. For others still, it may be financial hardship, unemployment, or even loneliness. And sometimes, these afflictions are by no means mutually exclusive.

The crucial difference, in the face of these trials of life, is whether we remain standing, or collapse, and there is no doubt that those with faith, who have something to live for, carry on. It is a faith that I have seen most evidently in the poorest, and not just in the Third World, but also on the streets of Oxford. On the other hand, those who trusted in themselves, and in their wealth, security, and possessions, will often despair as these things are taken away or become meaningless and empty.

Advent challenges us to re-focus our vision, looking to Christ as the source of our hope, and to ensure that he is the foundation of our lives. And we do this not just with words, but with actions that make it a reality. Then, when the wind and ice hits, we will be prepared and not caught adrift in the snow.