Saturday 28 November 2009

Background

Advent is a season which most people treat as a time ofpreparation... getting ready for Christmas. Much of this season offour weeks is spent being very busy. But very few of us truly treatAdvent as a season of preparation to meet God.

John, the writer of the Book of Revelation, ends his book with avision of "the river of the water of life," which sparkles likecrystal, and which nourishes the tree of life, which is fruitfuland abundant. There is a promise that there will be no more night,light will come from God and the faithful will rule as kings forever. It is a hope-filled, positive and encouraging vision to thefaithful people of the small Churches of Asia Minor (westernTurkey) whom the Book of Revelation addresses. It is a really bigvision full of promise and hope for a smallish and strugglingChurch.

Advent should be a season when we prepare to face Christ as judgeand when we might want to change our lives, attitudes andbehaviour. The Book of Revelation invites its readers and hearersto prepare to be judged. The invitation is to choose betweenallegiances to the dominant powers of the world in which they live.So, many believe, it's a choice between giving obedience to theRoman Empire and the emperor Domitian (who reigned from AD 81-96)and following Christ. There is an opportunity to choose between away which is life-affirming and one which leads to death anddestruction.

Just as the faithful people in the Churches of Asia Minor areinvited to make a choice between life and death, light anddarkness, the way of Christ and the way of secular powers, so weare invited to choose. The baby in the manger grows up and becomesa man and chooses the way of the cross, the way of love and the wayof light and hope.

To Ponder

Do you feel ready to meet God?

What would you want to say to God?

What, or who do you give allegiance to?