Isaiah 9:8-17
Psalms 49, 53, and 119:49-72
2 Peter 2:1-10a
Mark 1:1-8
Mark 1:1-8
I have a long time friend who has been not only a source of
encouragement, support, and comfort to me over the years, but also a mentor to
me in my faith. She was raised in a home where prayers and discussions
about God and Jesus were a daily occurrence and being a Christian was the force
behind all decision making. She's that rare kind of friend that not only
makes me laugh, but also inspires me to be the best person I can be. She
has had an impact on my children as well, nurturing in them a desire
to serve that I watch grow as they grow. I think she's one of the finest
human beings I know, so when she talks with admiration of others she knows that
are mighty in their faith, I know without a doubt that their devotion must
be strong. I can barely comprehend how it might be possible for anyone to
love the Lord and live for Him as deeply as she does. I think that in the
book of Mark, when John the Baptist was preparing the way for Jesus, people
must have been similarly in awe as he described Jesus. John preached a
baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and the whole Judean
countryside and all of the people of Jerusalem went to him and were baptized in
the Jordan River. They listened as he said to them, "After me comes
the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to
strap down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit." It's Jesus, the Son of God, whose birth we are
preparing for during this season of Advent. Though the Christmas story
tells of a sweet, humble beginning in a stable, let us remember what is to come
as a result of His birth and prepare our hearts for His presence in the world
and in our lives.
Beth McGee