A PRAYER FOR SECOND ADVENT (NT)

Luke 3:1-6  (NIV)

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

    make straight paths for him.

5 Every valley shall be filled in,

    every mountain and hill made low.

The crooked roads shall become straight,

    the rough ways smooth.

6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”[a]

Hey God,

He's at it again

Down there at the Jordan

Hoopin and hollerin

like some backwater Bible thumper

from out of the rustic back waters

whoopin up a revival meeting

Do you see how he's dressed Lord

What a get up!

Some sort of camel hair's vest... cloak or whatever

No decent priest or rabbi would be caught dead

in that kind of get-up

living on honey and locust

And God

Did you hear what he was shouting about

Some nonsense about everything being turned

upside down and inside out

backwards and all calliwhompous

Did you catch the his grand finale, Lord

We will all there to see it

Front row seats for celestial blockbuster

Looks like we're invited for the Gala Opening

Wonder if it will get a good review  in the Times?

What's that God?

You sent him

Called him to be your prophet

Called him to go down to the Jordan

and speak to us

to hear the Word

You gave him the message, O Lord

A message that is unsettling but true

A reminder that you are no respecter of

our set ways and preferred arrangements

More of "afflicting the comfortable and

comforting the afflicted" stuff

We should know by now God

That this how you come

How you always come

Lowering the mighty and elevating the weak

Creating fog for the self assured

and guiding the paths of the cripple and the poor

Help us to see it, O God

Open our eyes that we may witness your salvation

May we perceive where you move and where you act

May we so act and so live

that our acts of kindness and mercy

show forth your coming

again and again

Amen