Listen

“Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked will be made straight and the rough places made smooth. All humanity will see God’s salvation.”

Luke 3:5-6

Think

John the Baptist is the voice crying out in the wilderness, preparing the way for Jesus to come and invite everyone to follow him in a new way of living with one another, the way of love. John’s work of preparing included challenging the leaders in his time, to consider living a new way.

I am sometimes challenged by others to broaden my perspective and consider another point of view that is being offered by one of my siblings in Christ. That requires trust and courage on both of our parts. It can be difficult to receive challenging words and perspectives with humility and grace. Like the people in John’s day, we don’t want to hear that we need to change. Living a new way of love makes a better world for all. All humanity is invited to participate in the gift of God’s salvation offered by Jesus, the savior.

Douglas Sparks

Question to Ponder:

Who is the voice crying out in the wilderness in your life to prepare the way for Jesus to be born again in you?

Pray

God of love, help me to listen to the voice of the one crying out in the wilderness, encouraging me to prepare myself to receive you once again.

Amen.

Go

May Christ, as he comes, deliver you from shame and fear, from all resentment and anxiety…

from A New Zealand Prayer Book (The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia)