As we begin each day’s reflection, invite the Lord to come be with you as you read and meditate on His Word. Take a moment and read the bible passage slowly, allowing the Lord to draw you to any word or phrase that speaks to you.

Luke 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Phillip tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert. John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Today we begin our second week of Advent and our focus shifts to the Bethlehem Candle and Peace.  We will be diving deeper into what it means to have peace in our lives. Peace is not just the absence of conflict but a tranquility and calmness that provides a relief from the chaos that surrounds us. In that peaceful state, we can again have clarity to see what areas need to be worked on in our lives so that Christ can find a welcome home within us. 

This brings us to our second lit candle that now provides more light which means we can see more clearly. With clarity, we can start doing more to prepare for the coming of Jesus this Christmas. Let us take the time to prepare our hearts like Mary and Joseph did as they traveled to Bethlehem. They had to leave quickly, but they did what they could, by bringing with them all they would need for the journey and for the birth of the child. Those things they could not control, they trusted the Lord to provide, even down to a stable and a manger filled with hay as a place to give birth. 

In the Gospel today, we hear of John the Baptist and the part he played in preparing the Jews for the coming of the Messiah. He quotes from the Old Testament, “Prepare the way of the Lord…” His was a call to repentance. That is the first step to truly finding peace. Recognizing our sins, truly being sorry for them, and wanting to change our lives so that we are not falling back into those bad habits over and over again, are clear steps to making room in our hearts for Jesus. Let’s take some time this week to examine our lives and find the areas that need to be evened out so that Jesus can enter in and stay. It’s going to take some real work. Leveling a mountain can be a slow painful process. But it’s worth the effort, because on that smooth road, we can find peace. 

Reflection Questions: Imagine hearing the words from the lips of John the Baptist as if he were speaking directly to you. What in your life needs straightening out? What can you do to help make that happen? How can spending more time in prayer with Jesus help you to find peace in your life so that you can more clearly hear His message to you?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me take the time to see what areas in my life need repentance and a change of heart. Help me to prepare the way for You to enter my life and heart in a new way this Advent. I can’t do it without You. Bring peace into my life. Amen.