Matthew 3:1-6 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 3:1-6 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 3In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, Verse 2"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." Verse 3This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" Verse 4Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Verse 5Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, Verse 6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Devotion
God is at it again, says John the Baptizer. He sees something familiar about Jesus. Once again the Lord is poised to bring about wholeness and restoration when everything else suggests that emptiness and want are humanity’s lot. John’s call to repentance is a call to open our eyes and get ready for the Lord’s arrival. He proclaims Jesus’ coming in the wilderness, and the setting captures our attention. Wilderness represents the limits of human life. It is the periphery of civilization, a place where the realities of human need are not easily suppressed, a place that confronts us with our vulnerability. Advent brings the precariousness of human existence to the fore—not to scare us, but because Christ meets us there.
Prayer
The trappings of Advent can dull our senses. Awaken us, merciful God, to see clearly. Bring us to a place where we can honestly encounter you. Amen.