Isaiah 40:1-11; John 1:19-28

“In the desert prepare the way for the Lord, make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.”  (Isaiah 40:3, NIV)

“Finally they said, ‘Who are you?’ . . . John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’” (John 1:22-23, NIV)

The texts of Advent in the calendar of the Church takes us back to the times of expecting the Messiah, forward to the next coming of Christ, and in our preparing us to see God in our midst now.   In trying to discern God and what God is up to in our midst, we are not allowed to think anything we want about God.  We are to look at the person God revealed Himself in:  Jesus.   Jesus keeps us from fantasizing about who God is what God wants.  There is often a disconnect between our fondest ideals and ideas which give us comfort and who we are to be in Christ.  Pastors and priests are supposed to be the voices of ones “crying in the wilderness” (of our society and culture) for us to focus on Jesus and help equip us to make straight in our hearts and minds the pathways through which God can transform us and work through us.   We have the responsibility as Christians, both individually and corporately, to work on that as well, through prayer, study of Scripture, and staying focused on Jesus.   God can build a highway into our hearts, but He would like a little help removing the rocks.

Almighty and loving God.  Prepare a highway through the wilderness of our lives and hearts, so that your glory may be revealed in us and through us.  Amen.

– Father Larry Parrish, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Falls City