Preparing for Advent

November 25, 2019

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come
   the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
   and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
   Many peoples shall come and say,
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
   to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
   and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
   and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
   and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
   and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
   neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob,
   come, let us walk
   in the light of the Lord!

I watched a car ad on TV recently that showed a child blackmailing Santa so the child could get Santa’s sleigh which was of course a fancy car. I shuddered. What on earth are we doing? Selling the idea that wrong is not just OK but preferred behavior for children? Getting caught seems to have become the worst sin one can commit.

Isaiah writes hope in the above scripture as he describes a world where the Lord’s ways are lived as the right way.  As we begin the season of Advent, let us dedicate ourselves to looking inward to discern how much our lives are caught up in the ways of the world. Let us expose to God that we realize we need to turn around and return to God’s ways. Let us set forth our plans to live in justice and righteousness. Indeed, let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Prayer: God of Justice and Mercy, open our hearts and minds to the truth of the way we are living, cleanse us of those things drawing us away from you, and show us how to live in your light. Amen.

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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.