In sync with the message of Advent, this week’s readings are urging us to get ready. That process involves a change of attire: we don the armour of light, and in so doing, we ready ourselves for battle. Effectively, we are receiving a rallying cry. Armour is about protection; armour is also about battle. But why are we protecting ourselves?

Friends, wouldn’t you love to hear these words, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise’? Would you not love to hear those words after you’ve confessed to Christ all the wrong things that you have done, as you surrender to Christ, as you give your life to Christ, as you entrust everything that you are to Christ? I should think in hearing those words, notwithstanding the circumstances under which they were uttered, I would have new life breathed into me.

Friends, the will of God is that all humanity will be reconciled to God. Expressed another way, the will of God is that we will all walk in purpose. For that, we must endure difficulty. For that we must endure trials; for that we must persevere against the most brutal of circumstances.

Resurrection is no mean or easy feat. Resurrection, though, is the fruit of humility, perseverance, faith, yielding to the Potter’s heart, and living a life in praise and worship, as we've explored in earlier pieces. In short, resurrection is a process that can only be undertaken under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Resurrection is a commitment and a personal choice. We must choose to live our lives in step with the will of God. Resurrection happens, then, when we choose purpose.

Purpose requires persisting, continuing, standing firm notwithstanding the bleak or dismal circumstances around us, notwithstanding the (seeming) lack of success. Purpose requires us to stand, not on the substance of what we see but rather on the assurance of the promises of God.

The unfortunate truth, though, is that humility has been misrepresented. Humility has been despised. We have been turned away from humility. Why? It’s anyone’s guess, really. Perhaps it is because, somehow, because of the common root, humility has been mistaken for humiliation. If this is the case, then this confusion is unfortunate. Humility, you see, is founded in love; humiliation is founded in pride.

It would seem, then, that the saying is true: 'Knowledge is power'! My position, though, is that it depends on the knowledge being pursued. There is knowledge that is worldly - linked to things temporal, things passing, things that do not last - and there is knowledge that is linked to things eternal, things that do not fade away.

Friends, without a spirit of gratitude we ignore the many gifts that are given to us every day. Put another way, without gratitude, we don't even take the time to recognise the many gifts we are given each and every day. In this mode, it becomes so easy for us to be weighed down by the misfortunes and mishaps we experience every day.

Friends, there is no easy way to faith. There are no quick fixes. There is no shortcut. There is only the decision to move forward in trust in God. That process requires any number of things. God, in His infinite wisdom, determines what that means for you.

Friends, it doesn’t matter who you are, your station in life, the power or resources your command, you will be held to account for what you do. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve gotten away with a wrong deed, eventually, it catches up with you and you will have to account and pay the price.