Contemporary Advent: Days of Elijah

Behold He comes

riding on the clouds

shining like the sun.

At the trumpet call,

lift your voice.

It's the year of jubilee

and out of Zion's hills salvation comes.

I was a little uncomfortable with the line, "Still, we are the voice in the desert crying, 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord!'"  I am familiar with this song yet even listening to it now my eyebrows kind of furrow.

Yet each Advent we hear this proclamation of John the Baptizer in the wilderness.  Each Advent we are reminded that we are to be ready for the coming of the Lord.  Each Advent we sing of the one who is "On Jordan's Banks."

Most of us don't have a pulpit or a street corner or a desert to shout from.  Not to go all ablaze or anything, but we do have relationships in which we can encourage one another to prepare the way of the Lord.  One year I gave out Advent gifts ahead of the normal Christmas gifts.  These were little, inexpensive reminders that we are preparing for Jesus' coming.  One received a devotion book, one received a crucifix, one received a Bible, for example.  In the little things we do in Advent, we are like a voice in the desert.

For a moment during the Advent of that year, some of my friends and family took a little extra time to remember Jesus and prepare for His coming.  Hardly a grand act like that of John the Baptizer, yet still served to remind people of the purpose of Advent.

This year, I am using my blog as a voice in the desert.  It's still not a pulpit or street corner, I am still not an ordained minister of the Word, and I am not using capital letters so you know I am not shouting.  Just a reminder here that Advent is about preparing for the coming of our Lord.

Is there a line from this song that makes you uncomfortable?  Voice your opinion in the comment box.  Please remember this is a discussion and not an argument.