Meditation

Preparation

“A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the LORD;

make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.’”—Isaiah 40:3

How does one prepare the way for the Lord?  How does one make a straight path in a wilderness, and what highway is Isaiah talking about?  

The word "advent" comes from the Latin adventus (Greek parousia), which means "coming" or "arrival."  In the season of Advent, we focus on the coming of Jesus as Messiah, Christ or King—both to renew what we know of his first coming, and to prepare spiritually for his second coming. 

But we can also prepare for Him to come and meet with us at any moment, because He indwells us by His Holy Spirit. 

“I stand at the door and knock.  If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you.”—Rev. 3:20

This is maybe the hardest: the daily preparation for Christ to come to us;  always standing ready; always an ear attuned to the voice of the Beloved. 

As we begin, think about these different levels of preparation: for Christmas, for Christ’s second coming, and most especially, for today, now.   

Some questions to kick you off:

·        What do you need to prepare?  What do you want to prepare for?  Why?

·        What voice is calling you now? 

·        What is the voice that led you to want to prepare spiritually this Advent for Christmas?

·        Is it a voice that no one hears?  That cries in vain within you? 

·        Is it a marginalized voice?

·        Why does Isaiah speak of a desert?  Why not a heart?  A town?  What do you think the highway is that he is referring to?

·        Examine the ways in which your heart is numb to this voice; what voices are crying out in some wilderness, because they are marginal to your everyday life?

·        What do you need to do this season to be alert for and attend to those voices?

·        How can you develop listening skills?

·         Traditionally, Advent was a season of penitence; spend some time letting the Spirit search your heart for anything that needs to be confessed;

·        How will you prepare? 

·         Is anything being prepared for you?  What might that be?

·        What voice is calling you now? 

·        What is the voice that led you to want to prepare spiritually this Advent for Christmas?

·        Is it a voice that no one hears?  That cries in vain within you? 

·        Is it a marginalized voice?

·        Why does Isaiah speak of a desert?  Why not a heart?  A town?  What do you think the highway is that he is referring to?

·        Examine the ways in which your heart is numb to this voice; what voices are crying out in some wilderness, because they are marginal to your everyday life?

·        What do you need to do this season to be alert for and attend to those voices?

·        How can you develop listening skills?

·         Traditionally, Advent was a season of penitence; spend some time letting the Spirit search your heart for anything that needs to be confessed;