Will We Know Him When He Comes?

John the Baptist does all he can to make sure the people of his time recognize the Messiah when he comes. For us people of the 21^st century, we know that the Messiah has come, but he is still coming. Even when Christmas Day dawns, the Christ will still be coming. It is always Advent, and we are always waiting for God who is always coming into our lives. Eternity still awaits us, and so we walk on pilgrimage. The Baptist didn’t live at home; he lived in the wilderness. We, too, are not in our true home. We live in the wilderness. But we are not alone. We live in the here-and-now and the not-yet. God is with us every step of the journey to eternity. Our cry in the wilderness must be “Make straight the way of the Lord!” What we do today and throughout the rest of Advent—and Advent is our whole lives—will let people know God when he comes. We will know him when we recognize God today in family, friends, and neighbors. See the face of Christ in stores and in zoom gatherings. See the Suffering Christ in those who cannot be with families, in the sick, in over-taxed medical professionals. See the Radiant Christ in the joyful face of a child and the patient face of an elder. Even amid a pandemic wilderness, we can rejoice that God is here!