Tag Archives: Prepare the Way for the Lord

Prepare the Way for the Lord

Advent

December 22, 2022

Scripture: Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12)

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. –Hebrews 1:1-4

I heard yesterday on the news that the Taliban had reinstated the rule that Afghan women could no longer attend university.  The move was expected. As I read the scripture above that thought crossed my mind because scholars have no idea who wrote the book of Hebrews. One speculation is that it might have been a woman because of their standing in that culture in the first century, women were not normally accredited with such work. Priscilla and Mary Magdalene have been named as possible authors. The King James Version of the Bible identifies Paul as the author, but the written form of Hebrews is very different from Paul’s writing.

Regardless of the author, the document seems to have been targeted at churches needing to examine their vision and purpose, perhaps as they shift from awaiting an imminent return of Christ toward making ready the Kingdom of God for Christ’s return. That idea plays out well in the scripture quoted above.  The scripture reminds us that prophets had predicted Christ’s coming many years ago and in these last days Christ, God with us, came to dwell among us, and made purification of our sins, and returned to his work at the right hand of God. In so doing, he instructed us to continue his work here on earth. We might liken our call to work on building the Kingdom of God to Jesus’s instructions to the disciples in Luke 22:8: So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, ‘Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.’

Prayer: Lord, guide us through your work in the Spirit to do our work to actualize the Kingdom of God here, now, and for the future. 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.

Prepare the Way for the Lord

Advent

November 29, 2021

Scripture Reading: Malachi 3:1-4

See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Are we called to prepare the way for the Lord in real-time today? What does it mean to prepare the way for the Lord? How do we make straighter the way to finding the love of God, including God’s wholeness, oneness, and justice in a world of divide and conquer?

As I have mentioned before, I live in tornado alley, and while we may take warnings of pending storms for granted, we take precautions. For example, in Oklahoma City, every Saturday at noon, the outdoor tornado sirens are tested to make sure they work if the need to sound them arises. In addition, I have a weather alert system on my cell phone that gives me immediate warnings when dangerous storms are approaching.  Failure to follow those warnings may lead to disaster.

God’s prophets came to warn God’s people that their actions were missing the mark and they must change their ways if they are to experience the blessing of being in sync with God. In the scripture above, Malachi foretells God sending a messenger to prepare the path to the Lord.

 I drove out to see a new apartment complex recently built a few blocks from my home. It looked very nice from my vantage a block away. There was a rough road leading into the complex, but it was so new the city street that would at some point be the paved way to it had not yet been built. Some people already lived there, but others will be more likely to cross the entry from a smoother, easier-to-follow path.  We are called to show others the way to God’s love.

Prayer: Lord, open our eyes to see those who might benefit from our opening doors to accessing God’s love. 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.