The Advent season is all about the coming of God’s Son. In light of His first coming, the present and His return, we are called to approach Advent with a posture of preparation. But it is so easy, especially this time of year, to miss out on God. We are not as ready for Advent as we might think. This week, as we dig into the story and song of Zechariah, we are reminded that it's possible to be at the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing and still miss what God is doing? Some of our lack of preparation comes from missing the point of the story. Some of our lack of preparation comes from being mastered by the darkness of the story. Either way, we need a voice to come and help us become a people prepared for the Lord- to level the way for us to receive God's saving work among us. Zechariah's "Benedictus" helps us get our eyes off us ourselves and back on God, while also pointing to the hope of sunrise in the darkness.