#Alert

It's the 7th day of Advent. (No, Advent doesn't always begin on 1 December. See 'Preparing for Advent 2018'.)

During Advent, Christians prepare for the coming of Jesus. That coming happens in the past, present and future. Because Jesus entered our world as one of us in the past, we can know him in the present and anticipate his future coming when God's kingdom, of justice, mercy and joy, will come on earth as it is in heaven.

Advent waiting in hope for the coming kingdom isn’t passive. In many churches last Sunday the gospel reading was Luke 21: 25 - 36. In that Bible passage, Jesus calls us to "be on guard, alert and ready".

Today's word for #AdventWord2018 in the online calendar I am using for daily reflection is #alert. So how can we be alert? As attentive to what is around us as the meerkats on guard at the head of this post? How can we, in Jesus' words, 'be on guard, alert and ready'?

Jesus invites us to look, to have an attitude of attentiveness, alertness, to what we see. For example:

• to look at trees sprouting leaves;
• to take notice of what’s changing;
• to stay alert to signs of hope that are always springing up for those awake enough to see them;
• to watch out for the new shoots of the coming kingdom, love and goodness sprouting in unexpected places or people;
• and be alert to nurture their growth and co-operate with what God is already doing.

In one of the earliest documents of the Christian Church, St Paul wrote these words to the new Christians in Corinth:

"Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." 1 Corinthians 16: 13 (NRSV)

What helps you to say alert to the signs of God at work? And what distracts you?

Image Credit: Pixabay, CCO License