Prepare The Way For the Lord Podcast Edition

Grace and peace to you, and welcome to Trusting God at all times, a daily devotion. I’m Rev. Joe Cailles, the pastor of Peakland United Methodist Church here in Lynchburg Virginia.

During this season of Advent, Peakland people are reading this book: Prepare the Way for the Lord, an advent study focusing on John the Baptist. This book is written by Rev. Adam Hamilton.

Each week at Peakland, we’re discussing a chapter of this book in small groups and referencing this in the sermons during Sunday morning worship. I’m eager to share some of my insights with you, so that’s what I’ll do online each week on Thursdays in Advent.

For this week’s reading and in worship last Sunday, we focused on Zechariah and what happened to him after the angel told him that he and Elizabeth his wife would bear a son. Zechariah and Elizabeth were both older people at the time, so having a child would have been miraculous news for a variety of reasons.

Zechariah was understandably doubtful that he and Elizabeth would be able to conceive and bear a child, so the angel said to him, you will become mute unable to speak, until that day these things occur. So Zechariah was silent for 9 months.

We’re going to do something now which is radical for an online devotion. We’re going to sit in silence for a minute. The camera will focus in on the advent candles, so that you don’t have to stare at my silent face for the whole time. But for a minute. Let us keep silent.

[one minute]

For some, a minute of silence is an eternity. For some it is a blessing and too short a time.

When the angel inflicted silence on Zecharaiah, it was meant as a reprimand, but I hope Zechariah found a blessing in the 9 months of silence. I hope he found opportunities to listen more closely to those around him. Surely his wife needed him to listen, perhaps his friends enjoyed the opportunity to be heard. I hope in the silence Zechariah found opportunities to listen more closely to God.

There are situations in our lives that are hard, that seem to be punishments to us, . Advent and Christmas can be hectic and pressure-filled and the opposite of holy and sacred. and yet the good news for us is God can give us small miracles and opportunities in our trials

In the days to come look for the opportunities to be still, to be silent and to listen. Listen to those around you, listen to your own soul, and listen for the Word of Lord within you.

Be silent and listen.



Thanks be to God.