Nothing to Fear
Malachi 3:1-5, Luke 3:1-6
The second Sunday in Advent is the Sunday of Preparation. And on this day our minds – and hearts – go to Bethlehem. Bethlehem was proverbially not ready. It is John the Baptist who reminds us of the importance of preparation. His appearing shouted of grace. His appearance spoke of faithfulness. And John’s message – for us all – was that proper preparation involved turning – turning away and turning around. John’s message is for us all, and it is essentially that of a young man named Wallace Purling who learned of Bethlehem preparation in a remarkable way.