Prayer for the Day

by Revd Canon David White

14th December 2025 - 3rd Sunday of Advent

God of Advent,
thank you for John the Baptist,
the greatest and the least,
for his certainty and his doubts;
for his honesty and his humility;
for his passion and his pondering;
for his single mindedness and his reflectiveness;
for his questions – and your answers,
all of which help us today in everyday life,
and for which we praise you. Amen.

Integral to the season of Advent is John the Baptist who was a most extraordinary individual whose task was to prepare people for the imminent arrival of Jesus of Nazareth. John the Baptiser’s ministry indicates through his words and actions that the promised Kingdom of God is breaking in on the scene.

At a time when we’re preparing for Christmas – food shopping, present buying, arranging travel or welcoming relatives, John’s preparation is in a different league altogether. He is much more about an urgent call to do a top-to-bottom clearing out of our lives. People flocked to hear him, no doubt attracted by his honesty and integrity. Yet he never used comfortable words, rather he challenged the people in a way they had not been challenged before, calling them back to their core beliefs. In Advent we are called back to fundamentals.

This prayer, by Methodist Minister Rev Abe Konadu-Yiadom, praises God for the paradox that is John, for his direct and uncompromising message and his inherent humility. If you want to know how all this helps us in everyday life, read Luke 3.10-18.