In the last ten to fifteen years the growing commercialism of Christmas has brought back an ancient custom we now see in our homes and churches during the celebration season. This custom is of lighting candles to give us a deeper meaning of Christmas.

A couple of years ago, I picked up a brochure in a Christian bookstore, and I discovered that the Advent wreath dates back to the pre-Christian era. During this time, candles were lit around a large wheel, in celebration of the gradual return of the long daylight hours.

The present form of the wreath illustrates a more important light, the light of our Saviour, which should continually shine in the face of all Christians.

Today's wreath remains circular, with three purple candles and one rose candle placed around the circumference, and a larger white candle in the center. The three purple candles are lit on the first, second, and fourth Sundays prior to Christmas day. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, symbolizing the good news of the coming of Jesus Christ, and the white candle is lit on Christmas Day to mark the birth of Immanuel.

As we look at today's scripture verse, we realize that Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, was encouraging these people to have a full assurance and a richer understanding of the mystery of Jesus Christ and His church so that no one would be lacking in knowledge. I trust that this season will open a new insight to each and every one of us as we meditate on God's word.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we pray that, during this Christmas period, Your children will not be leaning to the commercial side of the season but sharing the true meaning of Jesus Christ with our family and friends throughout the world. We also pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Amen.

Last Sunday, as we entered the church, I was handed a copy of the order of service. In fumbling with about six pages, two inserts fell onto the floor under the pew ahead of me. Doesn't this sound familiar?

As I reviewed the pages, I was taken by the quarter-page ad requesting volunteers to help in the summer Bible School to be held in mid-August. I had also noticed a number of four-foot-square signs erected in the community telling of the Vacation Bible School. These of course are providing exposure to the parents and children. Why so early, I thought? It was not yet June!

With over one hundred and fifty children anticipated this year for the Bible school, it will take a large number of adults and young people to introduce the children to Jesus. A number of the children that will be attending have never had exposure to a church atmosphere. This summer could be an enjoyable event for us to help encourage God's children.

Luke 10:2a – He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." (NIV)

Whether it be serving thick McDonald's orange drink, burnt popcorn or a hot dog with a strong taste of mustard, or whether it be assisting the children to do their crafts, or telling stories of the Bible, each requires many helpers.

Can we catch a picture of the children going home at night and telling the family some of the wonderful Bible stories they were told?

In these days with more and more things to do and less and less time spent by parents in the home, the teaching of what God expects of them is very often left on the shelf.

Let the Holy Spirit guide us in serving a church in our area where a wonderful blessing is to be found in helping the children, and at the same time serving the Lord.

Matthew 25:23a – His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" (NIV)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we ask that You will give safe guidance to the children and an understanding of Jesus during summer Vacation Bible Schools. We also ask that you be with all the people helping this summer in the VBS programmes. Amen.

In our retirement community, we have a clubhouse that houses an indoor swimming pool. Adjacent to the pool is a heated whirlpool, with steps that lead down into the water, which is kept at 103 degrees F.

Many people eventually find themselves drawn to this whirlpool to obtain relief from muscle pains and bone aches. It is a time to relax one's body.

When I see these people in the pool, it reminds me of the story in the Bible where an invalid man waited for thirty-eight years to get into the pool and be healed. Jesus said to him, "Get up and walk." The man picked up his mat and walked.

I wonder if you know someone who has been waiting for a long time for someone to call them, or pick them up for church and introduce them to our brothers and sisters? Or are there people in church who have been coming for many years, but no one has asked them to join a Bible Study or prayer group, or to sing in the choir?

God may be asking us to help these people to pick up their mat and walk in faith. In asking the same question that Jesus asked, we may lead them to the wonderful love of Jesus Christ and encourage them to repent of their sins.

John 5:8-9 – Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. (NIV)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to be message-centred and not method-centred, by making us your ambassadors, so that we will be able to encourage others to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Amen.

A number of years ago, when I was only fifteen, I had to go on an errand for my parents in downtown Toronto, Ontario. This was my first experience driving by myself in a big city. I made an illegal right-hand turn. Unknown to me, at that moment, a giant on a motorcycle hit his siren and pulled me over. Has this ever happened to you? This policeman lectured me (for what seemed like an hour), and of course gave me a big ticket. I was shaking in my boots for about an hour afterwards. In those days the fine was a large amount of money for me. I did not know how, but in the few weeks following, I scraped together enough money to pay the ticket without going to jail.

Since that time I have been pulled over on a few occasions and, to this day, still shake a little. At one time in my life I thought of applying for a charge account with the Ontario Provincial Police, as I was getting caught on a regular basis, until my attitude changed. I am sure it is also hard for you to see and hear of the disrespect our society has for our police and those who have authority over us.

In today's scripture, the apostle Paul, writing to the church at Rome, also tells of the attitudes and relationships Christians should have towards those whom God has chosen to be in authority over them. This is another reminder of how much God is in control of everything in this world.

Prayer: God, we thank you for and pray for our government leaders and the authorities whom you have selected to serve our needs. We also ask for protection for them and their families. In Jesus' name. Amen.

It is that time of the year when school is out and the children are on vacation. There is an opportunity for us in the church to introduce the children of the community to Jesus. Last week an announcement was made asking for help in the Vacation Bible School.

It brought to my mind the days when our two children went to summer church school. The four of us, including my wife and children, were often on vacation at the beach for a couple of weeks. A mission church had dedicated their time, five days a week, for two months during the summer. They used an old car and travelled along the beach with loud speakers mounted on the roof top, blaring out hymns and announcing that they would be along again in fifteen minutes to pick up the children at the end of the street. We would get ours ready, and head down to the beach to wait for the old car to return. It would arrive, pulling a small, home-made trailer. The younger children were packed into the car, while the older children were lifted into the back of the trailer. A women, whose legs were cramped from sitting in the trailer, would supervise the children on their trip to a very old, large cottage. There they would assemble for crafts, Bible stories, prayer and a cookie, served with chilled canned apple juice in a thin paper cup. About two hours later, the children would return, filled with excitement, and holding the object they had put together with Popsicle sticks, paper and crayons. Each one tried to get in ahead of the other to tell the stories about Jesus and how the story related to the funny-looking cross or boat that they had helped to create.

These times, and the basic truths taught, are still embedded in our now grown children.

How much different it is today: we advertise door-to-door using flyers, and the children are brought by car, fully secured by seat belts. Each child and helper has a specially-coloured name tag for security. An application and release form is required, and a nurse is always on duty. Nonetheless, the Vacation Bible School is an opportunity to introduce the children to Jesus — especially those who do not go to Sunday School during the regular season. This requires much long and hard planning for each congregation. Let us take time this summer to assist, and to see broken Popsicle sticks grow into a message about Jesus, and to be part of helping children go home to share this lasting impression with family and friends.

Prayer: Bless the little children who come in Your name. May they receive the message of the gospel, some for the first time. Bless those who help to make this possible. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

The other day I picked up a salt shaker in a restaurant and checked the cap to make sure it was tight. I had not done that for a long time. My mind suddenly flashed back to my younger teens when, for a joke, we would loosen the caps of the salt shakers in the local restaurant, hoping that the next person using it would get a plate full of salt — not too funny when you look back, is it? I also think of when I was young, our pigs were killed in the fall, and the pork was salted down or placed in a brine to preserve it, as we did not have a refrigerator. I guess that is why I drink a lot of water and don't like pork to this day. Bars and taverns also serve salted peanuts to create a thirst for their product and thus increase sales, so people tell me. You and I season our meals and many other things which creates a thirst in our system that is never quenched. God however directs Christians to non-Christian people, as spokesmen to create an inner thirst in them. This inner thirst can only be quenched by Jesus Christ and his purifying water that flows within.Prayer: Once again we come to you with thanks for all the many things we don't see and should see in your wonderful world. We continually search and thirst for your word and the love of Jesus. Amen.

The other evening, on the way into a prison for a praise and worship time with our brothers, I noticed from a distance that a group of men in prison blue were not marching as I usually see them in the compound. As I came closer I realized that they had just come in from a work party and could not march, but only shuffle. They were not swinging their arms, because their ankles and wrists were in chains.

Upon clearing security and entering the chapel I was introduced to a minister, the speaker for the evening, who was wearing a clerical collar. I suddenly remembered a person who shared with me his theory as to the significance of the clerical collar, based on the apostle Paul's reference to himself as being the bondslave of Christ (Romans 1:1, Galatians 1:10, Titus 1:1). He suggested that the clerical collars that ministers wear are a symbol of their slavery to God. The whiteness of the collar is for their purity to God and Jesus Christ, just as the Church is the cleansed, spotless bride of Christ. Experts may disagree on this point, but his theory has a good application to all of us. Isn't it great that through forgiveness in Jesus Christ we are no longer slaves to sin, but have the whiteness of purity in him!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the blood of Jesus so that we are no longer slaves in the bondage of sin. May the power of the Holy Spirit continually guide us so that we may be white as snow. Amen.