"Be on guard..."

"Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21. 25 - 36

In the gospel reading for today, Jesus warns us in parabolic language of distress among nations, signs in the sun and moon and stars of what is coming upon the world. He implores us to take care of our hearts so we will not be trapped by this secular cataclysm. (Sound familiar?) And so the season of Advent is ushered in this first Sunday of the Christian year.

Questions we might ponder in response to this warning:

What are some of the signs around you?

How will you respond?

What would it be like to stand up and raise your head in such times?

How might these times usher in redemption for you?

and finally

How will the birth of a little child, a baby boy born in a manger surrounded by pigs and cows, redeem you and give birth to freedom, deliverance and release for you this Christmas?

Lots to think about as this new day dawns...Happy New Year!