Advent
December 6, 2015

Scripture Reading: Luke 3:1-6

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.
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;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”’ –Luke 3:4-6

I am sure I have quoted the following song before but I doubt if any church actually sings it anymore. The tune is as ponderous as the words prescribe, but it speaks clearly to those of us who claim to be a part of the Kingdom Jesus Christ described for us and called us to help actualize. It is fitting that the tune by Shaw is named Purpose.

God is working his purpose out
as year succeeds to year:
God is working his purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.*

Peoples steeped in the need for instant gratification have little tolerance for a long repetitious song calling us to stay the course investing our very lives in the work of peace, mercy, and justice in coalition with God. We think we can buy or shoot our way into making everything right but we cannot.

All will not be right until we all love each other, and like the lamb and the lion (Isaiah 11:6), share equally in the abundance of God’s grace.

 Prayer: God cleanse our souls, help us to let go of all those things that hinder our ability to love like Jesus. Amen.

*God is working His Purpose Out by Arthur Campbell Ainger see al http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/g/g179.html

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.