GOD’S WORD—Matthew 3:1-2
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
MEDITATION
In our environment of rampant political posturing, let us cut to the chase: Was John the Baptist a liberal? He does come off a bit hippy-ish, and He certainly challenges the status quo. Was John a conservative? He did call sinners to repent – an age-old conservative message if there ever was one. Oh, so he must be a wishy-washy moderate or “independent voter.”
No. Here’s a wonderful truth about John the Baptist, that great preacher of the Advent season: Thanks be to God! He doesn’t fit the labels we use. He bursts them! He is not liberal. He is not conservative. He is not moderate. He is a voice! “This is he,” Matthew’s gospel tells us, “who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: ‘A voice of one calling in the desert, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
John the Baptist was a happy, crazy partisan when it came to the will of God! His voice and message is not political hot air. It’s a refreshing breeze!
PRAYER
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of your only-begotten Son, so that by His advent we may be enabled to serve you with purified minds; through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
VERSE
Those dear tokens of His Passion still His dazzling body bears,
Cause of endless exaltation to His ransomed worshipers.
With what rapture gaze we on those glorious scars.
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