A voice cries out: "In the
wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make
straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
Isa. 40: 3
When a modern head
of state travels on the ground anywhere it is a
technological and logistical marvel. An advance
team plans the route that is a combination of
safe, quick, and comfortable. National, state, and
local security forces interconnect to form a
safety net. Vehicles bristling with communications
gear carry and surround the head of state.
Things were a bit
different in the times of Isaiah and of Jesus. Few
roads were more than well-worn, difficult, dirt
paths. They certainly were not anything to which
royalty should be exposed. Yet there was no
alternative for travel. When a state visit was
planned, workers would go out in advance preparing
the road. They would fill in pot holes and remove
impediments to travel, preparing the way of the
coming royalty.
During Advent we
prepare ourselves for the arrival of our Lord and
Savior; the ultimate head of state. While we
prepare for Jesus’ second coming, though, we need
also to
prepare ourselves for the presence of God who is
already here in the being of the Holy Spirit. How
do we prepare for the arrival of royalty that is
already so intimately present that the presence is
closer than a spandex body suit? How does one
prepare for the arrival of someone who is already
here? Is there a wilderness in which we need to
prepare the
way?
Have you ever
visited someone and stood at their door and
pressed and pressed the doorbell… and no one came
to the door. So you knock, knock, and knock some
more, but no one answers. Finally, someone comes
to the door, and they apologize that they didn’t
hear you, or they were tied up on a telephone
call, or doing some chore.
God is present,
intimately present, but often we don’t get around
to opening the door. William Holman-Hunt’s famous
“Light of the World” painting shows Christ holding
a lamp while knocking on a door that is partially
covered by undergrowth. The painting is dark and
brooding. There is no knob on the outside of the
door. That door represents the door to our hearts,
and it can only be opened from the inside, by us.
Advent is door time.
Advent is answer the doorbell time. Advent is
respond to the knock on the door time. The door to
our hearts is an impediment on the Lord’s highway
in the wilderness of our lives. Advent is a time
to open the door and clear away the undergrowth.
Yet, we are challenged by how our market-driven
culture utilizes Advent. This season of preparing
the way of the Lord has also become the most
important economy-pumping period of the year. As
saturated as we are with messages of
the marketplace the rest of the year, Advent has
become the Super Bowl of marketing message
saturation.
How will we hear the
knock at the door, let alone be prepared to open
it? A few suggestions to set as priorities above
secular demands: Utilize one of the many excellent
Advent devotionals available. Set aside time for
morning and evening scripture reading, prayer, and
meditation. Observe the daily tradition of an
Advent wreath or calendar with family members or
friends. Begin Christmas morning with morning
prayers or in church. At every meal throughout
Advent and Christmas, offer a grace particularly
acknowledging specific blessings the Lord provided
that day. Bring a family member or a friend to
church. Look for someone to help generously and
anonymously. Make time for silent attending to the
Lord’s presence. KNOCK, KNOCK….KNOCK, KNOCK |
