Richard's Reflections (December 2025)

We are coming into the season, known in the Christian calendar as Advent. That word Advent means “coming” or “arrival”. The season is more or less the four weeks leading up to Christmas, when we mark the coming, or arrival of the Lord Jesus Christ into this world.

As I’m sure you are aware, this can be a very busy time of the year. Much of this time of Advent is spent in shopping and other preparations for Christmas. And there is certainly much to do. If we are inviting family and friends to join us, then we will want things to be as good as possible. And that is absolutely right. And then, there are the presents to be bought. It is very easy to become extremely busy. And understandably so.

But it would be good to spend some time during this hectic season thinking about the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. This season is a preparation for when we celebrate on Christmas Day. In the weeks leading up, may I suggest reading again the accounts of Jesus’ birth in the gospels of Matthew, Luke and John. Take some of the well known Christmas carols and look at the words to once again be amazed and thankful that Jesus was willing to leave the glories of Heaven to come into this world. And we don’t just stop at the birth of Jesus, but we remember his life, death and glorious resurrection. Because of all that we can know his forgiveness and relationship with God. As the angel said to the shepherds on the night of his birth:

Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

         Luke 2 v 11

In the words of a less well - known Christmas hymn:

Let earth and heaven combine,    

angels and men agree,   

to praise in songs divine,   

the incarnate Deity,  

our God contracted to a span,  

incomprehensibly made man. 

(Charles Wesley)

A very Happy Christmas to you all.

Love in Jesus,     Richard