The way home? Prepare?

"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."  (Luke 3:4b)

Where do you think of as home?  What makes it home?  Have you lived there a long time?  Do you still live there?  Is it maybe the home you remember growing up in - or your grandparents home?  I have moved a lot - but I decided to try counting how many times.  I am not sure if I remembered all of them but I counted 20 before I turned 30.  So if I were to think of "home" it would probably be my grandparents home in St. Paul.

There are two things I would like you to think about here.  First the Scripture readings are about preparing the way of the Lord.  John the Baptist is once again calling the people back to God with verses from Isaiah.  Preparing is like getting ready but it is also helping others to be ready.  It is both knowing, and showing, the way.  I can still get you to my grandparents home.  I know the way.

Which brings me to the second way I would like you to think about home.  Our Advent study, "Christmas The Good The Bad & The Ugly" ​is pointing out, this week, the importance of the Wise Men.  One important point is they are Gentiles.  Some of the first visitors to the new baby are not of Hebrew descent.  These men, and the only reason we say "three" is because of the three gifts, have come a long way.  After they have given the gifts they "go home a different way." (Matthew 2:12)

My question to you then is... Could you try a "different" way?  Where John is calling us, today, to prepare "the way" could it be a different way?  Could we put God first, following where God is leading, befor the rush the world puts us in?  Something to think about......