Preparing the Way
Read Luke 1:67-80
Zechariah can speak again, and boy is he excited! The Holy Spirit fills him and he proclaims the wonderful things found in today’s Scripture passage. Let’s see what Zechariah has to tell us about the God we worship.
God redeems his people. God has raised up a savior for them, fulfilling old prophecies. God shows mercy to them. God remembers covenants made with them. God desires us to serve him without being afraid and to be holy and righteous each and every day. God sends people like John to guide us in living such a holy and righteous life.
This prophecy of Zechariah’s tells us so much about God and not much about John. This is as it should be. The focus the story of John is not on John, but it is focused instead on all that God does in setting the stage for Jesus when he begins his ministry. John himself will say it later, but he is only preparing the way for Jesus. So, today, we only prepare the way.
When we go about our daily lives, following God’s calls on our lives, everything we do is only preparing the way for Christ. When we build relationships with our neighbors, when we share our faith through words and deeds (especially everyday deeds), we are preparing the way for Christ in the world.
Weston Pendergrass
God of Advent, kindle within us the flame of hope. Help us be your beacons of hope for people and places weighed down by hopelessness. As we enter with you into this Advent journey, help us to be your mind, heart, and hands in the world. For we pray in your name. Amen.
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