The world seems to be coming apart at the seams right now. So much violence and killing at home and on foreign soil. How do we get a grip on all of it? In Luke chapter 3 beginning with verse 4 through 6, we hear the words of the Prophet Isaiah as he proclaims the voice of one crying out in the wilderness. That voice is to be John the Baptist and that voice cries out for us to “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” How do we make the Lord’s paths straight? Isaiah continues, “Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” These are powerful words for us to hear at this time of the year which is Advent on the church calendar but they are also words for us to consider for the coming of the savior of the world. It is the Christ child who comes to us at Bethlehem in a feeding trough who is the Lord and is the one who on the cross straightened out the crooked. The violence that the world is experiencing needs to be countered with the love of the baby in Bethlehem. The Prophet Isaiah in the passage from Luke concludes, “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” He says all flesh shall see the salvation and not just a select few. Let us stop this Advent season and Christmas season and prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ child and to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in our words and our deeds. We are challenged right now to prepare ourselves for the coming savior of the world and so we pray for peace on earth and good will to all humanity. May the love of God touch our hearts so that we can find His peace to fill our hearts with love.
God’s peace be with you,
— Pastor Kerns