1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." 3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' " 4 Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9 Do not presume to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
***
We have entered into the time of the church year we call Advent. This is the season of waiting, of anticipation, of realigning ourselves for the birth of a new age. What does this mean? Basically, it's the four weeks before Christmas. As a whole, we are waiting the coming of Jesus, the birth of the messiah to the virgin.
Are you ready?
Have you prepared?
What are you waiting for?
Like the reading above says, people were flocking to John the Baptist out in the wilderness to be baptized. They were preparing themselves for the coming of the Messiah. They were aligning their lives, repenting of their sins, and rectifying their lives to accommodate the message that was being spread... Jesus is coming.
Are you ready?
Have you prepared?
However, John does something crazy in the face of the religious leaders of his time, he yells at them and tells them that they may come and make fun of him but there is somebody greater coming. John may baptize with water, but the one who is coming will baptize with the fire of the holy spirit. They may try to rest on their morals and proclaim their genealogy back to Abraham, but God is bigger than all of our human securities and longings. God has the power to do such awesome things that we are unprepared to bare witness to.
Are you ready?
Jesus was coming to break down the walls that separated us from God. We had built ourselves fortresses to reside in; built our walls to protect us; towers to look down on the rest of the world from. As we peer down at the world and wonder why we are so disconnected, it should hit us that we have not truly begun to live.
As we await the spiritual revival of the messiah. As we ponder the meaning of the season--the birth of Jesus, who came to save us from the eternal separation that we are worth of. As we prepare our hearts and minds to renew these relationships with our savior and others. We should reach out in love to our neighbor. Remember the whole of the ministry that was begun when Jesus was born. It is not an isolated moment, but the bigness of God that was made flesh so that we might better understand the love that was for us. Love made flesh.
Let us pray: God of mercy and love. We thank-you for sending Jesus to become love incarnate at the end of this season. Without your loving grace we would be lost in the world of darkness that we have created around us. In this time of preparation and awaiting, we ask that you guide our hearts and thoughts to a better place. That we might find the courage and resolve to love those around us more than ever. This is the time of the year when hearts get heavy, souls become bare, and people feel left out. Allow us to be the light in their lives so that might be prepared to see the glory that you is return to their lives. We need you. We long to see your face. Be ever present in our hearts and souls. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment