Comfort, Comfort Ye My People (v. 3)

Johann Olearius, 1611-84, tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827-78

Hark, the herald’s voice is crying                  Hark – Listen!

In the desert far and near,                             herald – a messenger

Calling sinners to repentance,                      repentance – changing the way we think and act

Since the Kingdom now is here.                   Kingdom – God’s saving presence

O that warning cry obey!

Now prepare for God a way;

Let the valleys rise to meet Him

And the hills bow down to greet Him.

               “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going ot to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins (Mk 1:4-5).” Mark’s account of Jesus’ life displays John the Baptist bursting onto the scene as the forerunner to Jesus, preparing His way in the wilderness.

               Isaiah predicted a voice that would cry out, “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God (Is 40:3).” God’s people anticipated that voice for hundreds of years – and now here it is! But now what shall we do? Repent! Turn away from sin. Change the way we think and act. Prepare for God to come to us – a deed that is so impossible that it is like the valleys rising up and the hills bowing down.

               Advent is a time to marvel at the miracle that God comes to us. He has made the way. He has done the work to get to us. His call to us is to prepare to welcome our Savior Jesus who comes. This is serious business as well as a time of joy. Jesus changes us, and His presence in our lives means we should not sin any longer. Thanks be to God that the herald’s voice proclaims that those sins we commit are forgiven!

Prayer

               O God, help us listen to the message that You have given Your Son and that He has come to set us free from sin. Help us prepare for His coming through repentance and obedience to Your call. Please remove the obstacles that would separate us from Jesus, and bring the day that all bow down to welcome Jesus our Savior and King. Amen.