Listen

The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, God’s Son, happened just as it was written about in the prophecy of Isaiah:

Look, I am sending my messenger before you. He will prepare your way, a voice shouting in the wilderness: “Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight.”

Mark 1:1-3

Think

On the first Sunday of November, thousands of people run the New York Marathon. For almost everyone in the city, marathon day is a celebration. But for those that actually run the race, this day represents the end of a long, arduous journey.

Sometimes our experience of the story of God’s love and the presence of God’s peace feels like preparing for a long run. The world around us thrives on anything but peace. And so we are reminded that peace takes work.

The Gospel of Mark affirms that promise of peace is coming through Jesus, but it takes preparation. Yes, God’s peace has come. And in Advent, we remember that we live in the hope that God’s full peace is yet to be realized. Our role in that second coming is to prepare for it.

As people who have experienced the promise of God’s peace, even in the smallest of ways, let us ask God to help us prepare the way for peace. It may feel like a long marathon to get there, but the reward when we arrive will be more than we can imagine.

Chris Aho

Question to Ponder:

What are some things in life that take preparation? Are they worth it? How might these things remind us of the ways we can prepare for God’s coming peace?

Pray

Holy God, the road to peace has been long, and full peace may be a long way off.

As I journey with you toward peace, help me to sense your love and peace along the way, so that I might experience a foretaste of the full peace we will someday experience in you.

Amen.

Go

Practice what you have received… and the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

adapted from Philippians 4:7, 9

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