Sunday 11 December 2011
"He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him." (v. 7)
Background
The original text of John's Gospel, and the more ancient textthat he quotes from Isaiah in this passage, don't use punctuation,but punctuation matters as fans of the Lynn Truss' book, EatsShoots and Leaves, will attest. John preaches in the wildernessbecause of where he puts the comma (verse 23)! For him thewilderness is the place for preaching, far away from the everyday,the home, the work place and the town. If you put that comma,however, after 'crying out', the preacher may preach where theywish. But it's in the barren places, the wild places, thewilderness where you need to make a straight path; a small pointperhaps, but one that resonates with the gospel. For the Messiahcomes into our everyday lives. The gospel is heard where we are,not where we are not; glory and hope spoken into the mundane andordinary of the every day. It is a message though that is preciselyabout the darker and more barren places; it is light for darkness,healing for sickness, grace for sorrow, forgiveness for sin. It isin the wilderness we are to prepare a way for God, that God's glorymay be revealed.
To Ponder
Where is a wilderness (untamed, barren,trackless) in your life? And what would make a straight way?
How can we speak of God in the everyday?
A challenge:
"Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your goodworks and give glory to your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)