Preparing the Way

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.”

(from Luke 3:1-6)

 The last place I want to be during the Black Friday Season is the wilderness of Walmart.

The long paths to the check-out registers are definitely not straight as people usually wait patiently to purchase their presents.

The Season continues with Cyber Monday and intensifies until reaching “Last Minute Shopping”.

Our practice is to shop small business on-line, most of which we have visited at one time or another.

There’s a backstory to Black Friday. Around 1951, "Black Friday" came to be used by Philadelphia police to describe the crowds and traffic congestion when the Christmas shopping season began.

There’s also a backstory to John the Baptizer’s appearance at the Jordan River.

According to Malachi, a prophet filled with the Holy Spirit will appear filled with a message of repentance, salvation, and forgiveness.

The prophe twill grow becoming strong in spirit living in the wilderness until he began preaching at the Jordan River.

Tiberius the emperor was considered cruel, perverse, and self-indulgent which is in stark contrast to the kingdom of God Jesus proclaimed.

Preparing the Way of the Lord began with John the Baptizer’s message claiming that God saves even in corrupt, messy, and complicated historical events and situations.

Preparing the way is responding John’s call to a baptism of repentance which indicates living a life demonstrating God’s purpose of a restored people of God’s.

Preparing the Way is acting on John’s message today by redirecting people to God with the promise of salvation when we redirect our lives to an eternal source of life and acceptance.

A voice is us calling from the Black Friday frenzied hustle and bustle and money-oriented generosity, to redirect our lives to prepare for the coming of Christ the Lord.