h2odevos eots 120311 GPS LOVE SONGS 120405

This devo was first released on 12-04-05. Today it is an encore performance

12-03-11

S&P 2005 GPS Love Songs12-04-05

Second Sunday in Advent

GPS Love Songs

Zach as JTB + RTG as St. Nick

“Come gather together you children who wander

Looking for dreams that the whole world has squandered

You’ve lost them you’ve sold them for pockets of gold

And you long to come in from the cold…Oh Sing

Joy joy joy in the morning

Joy joy in the afternoon

Joy joy joy for the child is born

This night the promise is given to you”

Sing Joy by Peter Mayer

John the Baptist appears on the Advent scene today. He is a rather unique and unusual character. You won’t see his visage gracing any holiday extravaganza on television. Nor does his picture  get included in too many Christmas cards. He probably wasn’t very good at “small talk” or chit-chat. In fact, if he was asked about  the current debate regarding the designation or naming of municipality sponsored evergreen trees with colored lights he would probably say something like, “Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into fire.” (Matthew 3:11)  Due to his ability to speak in sound-bytes and use of metaphorical speech, my sense is that John the Baptist would be a frequent commentator on programs like “Cross-Fire” (I think he’d like that name) if he were alive today.

I am drawn to John the Baptist because he was so passionate. More than anything else his love of God and for God drove his message and ministry. It was his job, his calling  to “prepare the way for Jesus Christ.” His message was to “turn around” to repent and come to the Light. In a way, John the Baptist sang  “tough-love songs” to the people in the wilderness.

On this Second Sunday in Advent we hear the word of God recorded by the prophet Isaiah,

“Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. ²Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1-2)

Those words really speak to me. It might be due to the fact that I have some conflict avoidant tendencies, or that I am a middle child or that my heart and soul is simply  touched by that gracious word of comfort. Peter’s words acknowledge the time of being in the “wilderness”

“Come gather together you children who wander

Looking for dreams that the whole world has squandered”

Advent is a season to listen and sing GPS love songs. Now by GPS, I mean “Grace Positioning Stories.” So John the Baptist, the prophet Isaiah, Advent wreaths, acts of mercy and justice all help us to be oriented when we realize we have spent time in the wilderness or even lost our way.

And what gives me hope and joy is that we have the gift to sing these love songs so that others might realize that the One who called himself, “the Way, the Truth and the Life” is still singing to them and to us…

“Joy joy joy for the child is born

This night the promise is given to you”

RTG

 PS Deck the Halls