Prepare the Way of the Lord

Daily Reading: Luke 3

Scripture Focus: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Luke 3.4b-6)

Devotional Thought: "Megan loves Christmas!" Earlier this week, Lana and I visited in the home of some friends. We were commenting on their beautiful decorations. And that was her husband's response. It was evident! And it was evident that she loved to prepare for Christmas.

Are you getting ready for Christmas? That's great if you are, but even more important are the preparations we make for his coming to earth again. Luke tells how we can "Prepare the way of the Lord":

• The paths must be straightened. To be ready for the return of the Lord, we must be done with crooked living. When he returns, "what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops" (Luke 12.3).

• The valleys must be filled in. To be ready for the return of the Lord, we must be done with low living. I love that hymn that says, "I want to live above the world, though Satan’s darts at me are hurled; for faith has caught the joyful sound, the song of saints on higher ground."

• The hills and mountains must be made low. "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4.6). The twin peaks of pride and hypocrisy must be brought down to the plane of true humility.

• The rough places must be leveled. In order to excuse rough behavior and harsh words, some people tell me, "That's just the way I am!" That may be, but that's not the way God wants to leave you. The crooked and rough ways of our lives must be brought into conformity to the ways of the King.
  

Prepare the way of the Lord!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, just as John the Baptist prepared for your first advent, help me to prepare myself for your second advent. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 1 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD! 2 Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! 3 May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth! (Psalms 134:1-3)