Isaiah 40:3-5
A voice cries out: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’
These verses from Isaiah are a continuation of yesterday’s reading.
Because the people have been comforted in their grief and struggle… because they have received the tender word from God that they are freed from shame and guilt…
…now they can prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness. Now they can look for God to come in the desolate, disorienting places, the in-between spaces that feel so hopeless. Now they can boldly proclaim–their voices strong and unwavering–that the world is about to change.
God is coming, a leveling love that refuses to let inequity reign; a love that feeds and leads, gathers and carries; a love that does not grow weary in demanding justice, does not grow tired strengthening the powerless; a love that persists in resisting the status quo.
How do we prepare for such a love? Forgiven and freed, how do we prepare the way of the Lord in this wilderness?
We pray that God’s love would be birthed among us.
We pray that we would know God’s love when it comes.
We pray that the God who makes rough places plains would smooth hearts made ragged by racism, misshapen by misogyny, hollowed out by hate–especially when those hearts are our own.
These lyrics from today’s accompanying song sing to me of the revolutionary love God brings to our world and inspires in God’s people:
So don’t talk about love if your love won’t burn
If your love won’t fight, if your love won’t yearn
‘Cause a love don’t win, if it waits on some return
God doesn’t wait. Love comes.
In the wilderness, love is born.
Come, Jesus, come. Level this world you so love. In this wilderness, smooth our wounded hearts until we join your protest song. Prepare us for love. Amen.
Today’s accompanying song is Shaking As It Turns by Lula Wiles.