Hennie Symington

As I lie in bed, I remember you;

    all night long I think of you,

because you have always been my help.

In the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.

I cling to you,

and your hand keeps me safe.  Psalm 63:6-8

What it says is this: “God's message is near you, on your lips and in your heart”—that is, the message of faith that we preach. Romans 10:8

Often our relationship with God is like a love affair which has lost its glow and where we have exchanged the excitement and intensity of our first love for the humdrum. Yet the season of Advent in which we celebrate the birth of our Saviour offers us the exciting possibility of a spiritual rebirth.

How can we renew our faith? There is so much you can do. You can take a journey with God to the core of your inner being. You can taste the Word anew by rereading God’s love letters to you. Everywhere you look, the Bible speaks of the Creator’s longing for his creatures. Even if we have forsaken him for all that the world has to offer, he persists in reaching out to us to welcome us back to his bosom.

Why not reach out across the great divide that separates you from God for whatever reason. Create a sacred space at home or at work to remind you of the sacred amidst the profane. Celebrate your renewed dedication to God by breaking bread with someone in need. Or read a book which challenges you to think about your faith in a new way. Light a candle at the dinner table for the world or to light the way for someone who needs it.

Even easier, show kindness to someone, comfort someone or speak a word of encouragement. Above all, be generous. If you do any of these things for even the most humble amongst us, do it as if you were doing it for God. That is the true spirit of Advent – or the Great Expectation.

Prayer: Dear Lord, let me be in a state of expectation as I prepare for the rebirth of faith. Open the windows of my soul so that the fresh breeze of your Spirit can fill my heart. Amen