Prepare the way of the Lord

This is the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
It began as the prophet Isaiah had written:
‘God said, “I will send my messenger ahead of you
to clear the way for you.”
Someone is shouting in the desert,
“Get the road ready for the Lord;
make a straight path for him to travel!”‘   (verses 1-3)

Read Mark 1:1-8

The good news is simple, straight from the shoulder, easy to understand: ‘Turn away from your sins and be baptised … and God will forgive your sins’ (verse 4). Repentance is a 180 degree turnaround, from travelling away from God to coming back to him. It’s a return to the forgiveness we have in baptism, because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Advent (the four weeks before Christmas) is a time when we look forward to the coming of the Lord. Mark wrote of Jesus’ first coming and of the messenger God sent to prepare his way. We have experienced the second coming of Jesus when, in our baptism, he came into our lives with forgiveness, peace and new life, precious gifts we will have with us until we die.

Once again God says to his people, ‘Get the road ready for the Lord; make a straight path for him to travel!’ Again he sends his messenger to prepare the way for his Son, who is coming again. Again he sends the messenger with a simple, straight-from- the­ shoulder message. It’s a message of hope for people who see little hope, little joy. It’s a message of peace for people who live in turmoil. It’s a message that brings eternal life.

And who is the messenger? It’s me, and it’s you.

I will go, Lord. Send me. Amen.

by Robert Turnbull, in ‘Living Water for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2001)

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