Clean Up Time

Isaiah 1:10-20

We have entered the season of Advent, that time when we await the coming of Christ. But as we wait there is much to be done. On the one hand there are plans to make, cards to mail, presents to buy, decorations to display, parties to attend; all the things that make the Advent and Christmas seasons both hectic and festive. But there are even more important tasks for us to be doing as well. Isaiah puts it this way: “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doing from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:16-17). It is not enough to clean our houses, we must also cleanse our hearts and minds; it is good to decorate for the season, but we must also dedicate ourselves to God’s will; and while we attend parties we should also attend to the word of God.

Somewhere along the way Advent got shoved aside for the sake of a longer Christmas season. The stores in our community have been ready for Christmas since just after Halloween. I know this season has profound economic consequences for the coming year, but we’ve got to reclaim its profound spiritual and moral consequences, too. If we need to slow down our pace in order to appreciate what God is saying, if we need to look away from the colored lights and massive displays in order to see the needs of the hungry and oppressed in our midst, then so be it. Christmas can wait. Indeed, waiting is what Advent is all about. What better time to begin getting things in order? What better time to do the will of God?

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we look past those in need, our attention stolen by the flash and glitter of our world. Help us to clean ourselves and to prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.