Christian Reflection and Prayer

When we sing hymns like “Silent Night” we are reminded that
though God seems silent, God is still at work. God is quietly,
subtly moving in the world. When faced with the difficulties
and pain of living in a world marked by sin, we are reminded
that the darkness does not have the last word, for God’s “light
shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”
(John 1:5).

This is what it means to have an Advent-shaped faith. It is a
reminder that though we live in a time of waiting, we cling to
the God who fulfills promises at the right time. This is what
gives us courage and endurance. It’s what enables us to
continue to fight the good fight, to continue speaking the
Gospel to those who seem far from God, to work for justice
in a world of lawlessness, to step once more into the mission
field for the “fields are ripe for the harvest” (John 4:35). We are
an Advent people, for we know the God who has come and
who will come again, and that is a hope that will not disappoint.

So sing the songs. Put up the decorations. Light the candles.
Tell the stories. And may you have a blessed Advent as we
await Emmanuel, God with Us. Amen.

( A selection from an article by Nick Price student at Concordia
Seminary in St. Louis in the M.Div program. His blog,
ProdigalPreacher.