MONDAY
SITTING READING REVD MARK’S DEVOTIONAL MADE ME THINK OF THE MARVELOUS SIGHT THE SHEPHERDS MUST HAVE SEEN, WHICH WAS EVEN MORE SPECTACULAR THAN ANY FIREWORK DISPLAY. THEN, JUST FOR BALANCE, I AM CHATTING TO THE DYNO-ROD MAN ABOUT SEWAGE AND OUR DRAIN BLOCKAGE. OH, WHAT JOY!
1st December – Morning all… Saturday evening I went to the Christmas Light switch-on at Ironbridge. The lights themselves were nothing remarkable… but the fireworks were something else entirely. As the sky suddenly burst into colour, the whole crowd shifted – people who had been standing quietly in the rain were now looking up with awe and excitement. It struck me how one unexpected moment of brilliance can change the whole atmosphere. Today is 1st December, and for many the Christmas countdown begins, but for us as believers it becomes something deeper, an invitation to lift our eyes, steady our hearts, and remember that the God who once stepped into the darkness is still stepping into it today. “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:2) Advent reminds us that God’s light breaks into every kind of darkness, personal struggles, weary minds, anxious hearts, and a world that often feels uncertain. This season is not about pressure, perfection, or keeping up appearances. It’s about promise. It is about a dawning light that no darkness can overcome. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14) As this month begins, remember that Jesus didn’t just come long ago; He comes close today. He draws near to the tired, the overwhelmed, the hopeful and the hurting. You don’t need to force festive feelings or pretend everything is perfect. You simply open your heart to the One who is already near. “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” (Psalm 31:24) The countdown to Christmas might stir excitement, but Advent stirs hope. Not wishful thinking, but confidence that God is working even when we cannot yet see how. So, on this first day of December, let your heart lean forward in quiet expectation. A Saviour has come. A King will return. Light is breaking in. Hope is alive.
Revd Mark Spiers
TUESDAY
THE FOLLOWING DEVOTIONAL, WRITTEN BY REVD MARK, OFFERS A GENTLE INVITATION TO ENTER ADVENT WITH HOPE, STILLNESS, AND RENEWED TRUST IN GOD’S QUIET WORK AMONG US.
2nd December – Morning all… Have you ever noticed how December has a way of slowing us down inside, even though everything around us speeds up? As a manager for Children’s Services and as a minister of a church, this season brings its own unique weight, families needing support, staff needing guidance, and a church needing shepherding. Yet at the same time, Advent whispers an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and look again for the presence of God in the middle of all the
responsibilities we carry. This morning, as my wife opened her Advent calendar, I was reminded that Advent isn’t just a countdown to Christmas – it’s a call to wait with hope. Not the restless kind of waiting we experience in our work or ministry, but a still, steady kind that trusts God is already moving even when we can’t see it. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “The celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look
forward to something greater to come.” Those words ring true in roles like ours. We see brokenness, hardship, and human struggle daily, but Advent teaches us to lift our eyes and look forward with expectation. To be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. (Psalm 37:7) I know stillness isn’t always easy in a field filled with urgency, or in ministry filled with need. But stillness with God is what restores our perspective. It reminds us that He’s at work behind the scenes, in the families we support, in the situations we navigate, and in the hearts of the people we lead. “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7) Watching in hope is the heartbeat of Advent. It’s choosing to believe that God hears every prayer, for the children at risk, the parents trying to hold it together, the staff tired from the journey, and let’s not forget the congregation searching for peace. This hope steadies us when the pace feels relentless. So today,
may we step into this season not with hurried hearts, but with a deep, quiet confidence that the God we wait for is already with us, already working, and already holding every life entrusted to our care.
Revd Mark Spiers
WEDNESDAY
REVD MARK IS SO RIGHT. I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE DAYS GROWING UP (I STILL AM, BY THE WAY) AND NOW REMEMBER THOSE ORDINARY DAYS AS TREASUERED MEMORIES, WHAT A BLESSING.
3rd December – Morning all… I came across a wonderful quote recently that made me realise how true this saying is: “You will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory”? December has a way of reminding us of that, pulling us back to childhood Christmases, family moments, and seasons that felt ordinary at the time but now feel precious. In the rush of work, responsibility, and the weight we carry for others, it’s easy to miss the holy moments happening right in front of us. Advent invites us to slow down long enough to notice them. The Lord’s Word puts it beautifully: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Wisdom isn’t just knowing what to do, it’s learning to recognise the value of the present moment, the quiet gifts God plants in our day before they become memories we look back on. So today, let us pause long enough to see the grace in front of us: a conversation, a breath of peace, a small success, a glimpse of God’s goodness. These moments may seem simple now, but one day we might look
back and realise they were the ones that carried us.
Revd Mark Spiers
THURSDAY
IN SUCH A BUSY TIME AS THIS, THERE IS ALWAYS EVEN MORE PRESSURES POURED ON US. LEARNING TO LEAN ON GOD AND LET GO IS SOMETHING I NEED CONSTANTLY TO BE REMINDED OF. WHAT ABOUT YOU?
4th December – Morning all, isn’t it strange how we can move through our day, sometimes whole weeks without realising just how tired we really are? It’s like we run on momentum, not noticing the weight we’re carrying until life forces us to pause for even a moment. This month has a way of evealing that hidden weariness, many of us go to work in the dark and return home when its dark, it’s also a season when the pace quickens, expectations grow, and suddenly the strength we thought we
had begins to feel stretched thin. But Advent speaks a different rhythm into this season. It reminds us that God never asked us to power through on our own. Instead, He invites us to lean into His strength, not our own. Psalm 27:1 reminds us that the Lord is the strength of our lives. Not a boost, not an extra push, but the strength of our life – steady, dependable, and always enough. So today, where your
energy feels low or your heart feels heavy, let God fill the gaps. Let Him be the calm in your decisions when everything around you feels frantic. Let Him be the patience in your pressures, especially where situations ask more of you than you feel you have. Let Him be the rest your soul has quietly been craving but hasn’t had space to express.
Revd Mark Spiers
FRIDAY
ARE YOU A PATIENT PERSON? I FEEL I AM, BUT OTHERS MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION. TODAY, I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND A CHRISTMAS DINNER AT AN ASDA STORE IN WALSALL. BUT AS THE WEEKEND IS ALMOST UPON US, AND THERE’S SO MUCH TO DO FOR OUR ANNUAL MEMORIAL SERVICES ON SUNDAY, I FEEL THERE’S LITTLE TIME TO STOP AND BE STILL. SO PERHAPS THIS MEAL IS JUST WHAT IS NEEDED. (PS – AND IT WAS!)
5th December – Morning all… Those of us who work with children see every day how differently they experience time. For a child, waiting even a few minutes can feel like forever. Whether they’re counting down to playtime, waiting for a parent to arrive, or hoping for good news, their whole world seems to pause. “Is it time yet? Are we nearly there?” It feels like nothing is happening at all. And yet, children wait with a kind of pure expectation that we adults often lose. But we often tell children something important: “Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not coming.” That’s the heart of Advent. Waiting that looks quiet on the outside, is full of hope on the inside. Listen to these beautiful words from Psalm 130:5, “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope” Children understand that kind of waiting – waiting with their whole selves, expecting something good. And there’s a lovely quote by Joyce Meyer that captures this childlike trust: “Patience is not simply the ability to wait, it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.” Today, imagine waiting the way a child does, with honest questions, open hands, and hope that hasn’t been worn down by worry. If you’re waiting for answers, for change, or for something to make sense, remember this, God is working even when you can’t see anything yet, just like a wrapped present that’s already been chosen for you but not opened.
Revd Mark Spiers