Advent II Preparation and Reconciliation

The first few verses fix the time and political circumstances of this story. It is interesting that the prophet is actually none of these "important" people who are ruling with fear and intimidation. Instead the word of God comes from an unknown prophet coming out of the wilderness. John urges us to repent. Turn back to God. What keeps us from God? Turning back to God is the first step in our spiritual lives. We typically have to make this step over and over since there are many distractions that turn us away from God. So what does keep us from God. My list would take up too much storage space. The distractions are endless. I agree with the first comment on the last post that this time of year, the distractions are multiplied! It is hard to be intentional about our spiritual lives when there is so much clamoring for our attention.

What is the biggest distraction this time of year are people's expectations for the Holiday. Many of us are caught up in meeting particular expectations about gift giving, decorating, cards, dinners, parties, and most important relationships. This is a tough time of year for those who have lost loved ones, people who are in the midst of breaking up, and families that have had some difficult times. We all look to the Hallmark Christmas card ads and wonder why we aren't like them.

How could John's words make a difference in our lives this year. How do we make straight the path for the Lord? What obstructions do we need to get out of the way?