The Advent word for December 15 is taken from the Old Testament lesson on the 3rd Sunday of Advent, Isaiah 35: The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing

Jesus tells us in the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John:   “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly”. I am not sure if any thing Jesus says in the gospels has been used more inaccurately than this one. Prosperity preachers abound in our culture, attracting huge crowds and lots of money, primarily because they tell people what they want to hear – that following Jesus will give you material wealth and protect you from illness or accident or sorrow of any kind. Instead, the abundant life is not about protecting us from difficult times, it is about living a discipled life in Christ where our spiritual life is uplifted, our prayers are deeper, our understanding of The Way Jesus wants us to trod. Giving ourself to Christ in every aspect of our lives is what makes our life abundant – filled to overflowing with grace, love and comfort especially when times get tough.