Advent

November 30, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Isaiah 40:1-11

Comfort, O comfort my people,
   says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
   and cry to her
that she has served her term,
   that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
   double for all her sins.

A voice cries out:
‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
   make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
   and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
   and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
   and all people shall see it together,
   for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’ –Isaiah 40:1-5

I started my day scanning my emails. Several were contribution solicitations from charities, and some included the statement that for every dollar I donate matching funds would be provided. One would have been three times my gift. Later when I read the familiar scripture provided above and I saw in a new light the phrase that the Lord had paid double to cleanse Jerusalem of all its sins. I must confess I am a little cynical of groups trying to entice me to donate because the funds would be matched. Wouldn’t some entity that generous give the money anyway? And then I realize that is the point. Our forgiveness of sin as individuals and as a nation are undeserved gifts of grace with the Lord doing all the Lord can do to free us from trekking down the wrong paths.

That introductory phrase is followed by a voice crying out that we can help in the Lord’s work by clearing out everything that is proving to be a stumbling block to our full participation in the work God calls us to do. God’s forgiveness is grace and our understanding the gift of grace provides us with the motivation to do our part in spreading the love of God throughout our community, our nation, our world. In times like these, we need to answer that call with no reservations and with all the energy we can muster.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your loving gift of grace. Let it lift us to clear paths for justice and righteousness to flourish. 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.