DEC. 12 - FINDING OUR VOICE AGAIN
By Rachel S. Gerber, apartment manager
SCRIPTURE: John 1:6-8, 19-28 (NRSV)
Scroll down for complete Scripture.
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DEVOTIONAL:
In our text today, we hear a loud voice -- John the
Baptist preparing the way for Jesus’ ministry. His sense of
clarity of purpose and mission challenges me. John knew who
he was and responded to others out of it.
Likewise, I wonder, ‘What shall I cry?’ And suddenly, I’m
at a loss for words. It seems like as the Church, in this
world of many voices, we have lost ours. In the past, it
seems that when the Church responded, it tended to do more
harm than good. It’s no wonder the world is cynical and
distrusting of religion. And I bet there might be a good
number of current church-goers that feel the same way.
Because of this, our response to God’s call to “cry out,”
turns silent.
But what if we got again to the heart of Christianity --
Jesus -- and found our voice there? What would it sound
like? What if Christianity is not so much about “getting
yourself saved,” as it is about an invitation to join the
mission of God’s people to meet the world’s needs?
In the season of Advent, we await the coming of God in the
person of the baby Jesus. This is not a season where we
simply wait for an anniversary to come, but rather it’s a
time to reflect on the nature of the One who came first to
us, and who invites us to jump on board with what this One
is doing in our world. So what then, shall we cry out? Let
us discover together how God is calling us anew today, so
that we too might join in the words of John to prepare the
coming way of the Lord!
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SCRIPTURE: John 1:6-8, 19-28 (NRSV)
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He
came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might
believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he
came to testify to the light.
This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent
priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, 'Who are
you?' He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, 'I am
not the Messiah.' And they asked him, 'What then? Are you
Elijah?' He said, 'I am not.' 'Are you the prophet?' He
answered, 'No.' Then they said to him, 'Who are you? Let us
have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about
yourself?' He said, 'I am the voice of one crying out in the
wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord" ',(as the
prophet Isaiah said.
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him,
'Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah,
nor Elijah, nor the prophet?' John answered them, 'I baptize
with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the
one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the
thong of his sandal.' This took place in Bethany across the
Jordan where John was baptizing.
View all of this season's devotions at
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Goshen College
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The views and beliefs expressed in the devotional piece prepared by
each individual reflect their own spiritual growth journey and
thoughts, and while created in a campus environment that encourages
thoughtful questions and reflection on biblical Scripture and
contemporary Christian themes, do not necessarily represent the
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