Daily Devotion – December 2, 2021

This devotion may be found in the Luther Advent Devotional here.

Mark 1:1–8

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way;
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
    make his paths straight,’”

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with[f] water; but he will baptize you with[g] the Holy Spirit.”

It almost goes without saying: We are living through challenging times. Far too often it can feel like we are wandering in a desert, torn between conflicting views about justice, about the pandemic, about the very nature of democracy— and whether God is really present and continues to care day to day about this Creation. Our gospel reading reminds us that even in the depths of our fear and uncertainty, God is there lighting a path forward, drawing us close, showing us that repentance leads to forgiveness, and forgiveness grounds our hope. If only we have eyes of trust we will see God’s salvation is at hand.

Mothering God, light our way through the deserts of our brokenness. Nurse us into just relationships. Breathe your love and hope into us, and help us to breathe out our anguish and fear. Amen.