2nd Sunday of Advent

Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 1:68-79; Philippians 1:3-11; Luke 3:1-6 

Luke 3:1-6

¹ In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, ² during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
 “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
 ‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
  make his paths straight.
 ⁵ Every valley shall be filled,
  and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
 and the crooked shall be made straight,
  and the rough ways made smooth,
 ⁶ and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

. . .

God’s Project Remains the Same

Grace to you, beloved of God, and peace from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I recently learned that one way to combine the quest for a healthier body and brain is to let my mind go when I go for my walks around town. I have to reach my weekly steps goal anyway to stay out of trouble with my health coach, so this strategy saves me some time while still fully caring for my wellness. 

My M.O. used to be listening to NPR, sports radio stations, podcasts, and audiobooks, depending on my mood. I still do this. However, I am beginning to absorb my surroundings more and more. Sometimes, I pray, but most of the time, I just wonder. Halfway through, the wondering develops into a type of meditation. The rhythm becomes constant, and so does the breathing. Walking then becomes an exercise that builds not only more resilient muscles but also the spirit. 

During my walks, however, there are things I cannot always predict that break the rhythm of my thoughts and force me into the reality in front of me. For example, I might stop and wait for the train to pass so I can cross the track towards the park or back, or I might do the same for an unusual number of vehicles passing through Main Street. There are also the eventual emergency bathroom stops at Casey’s.

Anyway. One of the things I have imagined during my meditative state is a brick path crossing the parsonage’s east lawn and ending just across the sidewalk leading to the church’s west entrance. I thought of it mostly as a way to extend the life of my shoes, as walking down the sidewalk is always muddy and messy when it rains or the snow begins to melt by the corner where the stop sign is. Different designs usually come to mind — meaning the type and color of the bricks, etc. Next, my thoughts moved to how the path lines would be marked before preparing the foundation; then, a rough budget started forming in my head, and I realized we no longer had the truck to transport the materials. I figured it would be a long-term project, that I would likely forget something, and that I would have to spend some time researching how to lay the bricks. It is usually at this point that my meditative state is interrupted by thoughts telling me that it is Friday and I am one day behind on my work to-do list—a project for another day. 

God, too, has a long-term project to build a path. Not one path, but several, even if they all lead back to God. It is God’s hope and dream for the ages. I don’t need to tell you that God does not think or act like we do. God thinks of years, generations, and centuries, not days or weeks. It is not only extremely long-term but complex. The terrain is diverse. Hills will have to be made low, and valleys will have to be lifted up. However, those hills and valleys are made of different materials. The tools will have to be different. What is tortuous and dangerous must be made more straightforward and safer.  

God also knows everything that needs to be done and how to get it done, obviously. Nonetheless, God is not a do-it-yourself kind of person. Suppose one is to personify God. The project is ongoing, and we may not see the end of it. Yet, God hopes for us to participate and learn how to build paths that lead out of the holes we find ourselves trapped in, out of fear, uncertainty, and hopelessness, and back to the sure path that leads back to his steadfast love. 

God also provides everything we need. We have the gift of baptism that leads to repentance and forgiveness of sins. We have the Holy Spirit working, organizing, gathering, instructing, and nudging to where we need to go. And we have God’s Son, the Christ, our Messiah, who comes to cleanse our hearts, purify our spirits, and bring the light necessary for us to see the path of mercy and compassion that leads straight and steadily to the better life, the gracious and joyful life, our salvation. 

Our Lord is coming, and he is already here. Prepare his way. Amen.