Background music: Michael W Smith, Christmas at Wildwood from Every Christmas
Are you ready to round another bend in our Prepared path?
As our advent-days rapidly approach Christmas, and we wind our way through the story of all God prepared for the coming of the Lord in that first advent, we are also drawing nearer to our destination: the Savior.
Today, we’ll fast-forward from Israel’s Old Testament history to the trailblazer who prepared the way for the coming Christ. The flame that was John, the Baptist, flickered preparation for the Coming Light.
It was foretold by God’s prophets that another prophet coming would make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:17; Malachi 3:1).
It was customary in the Ancient Near East to first prepare the roads a king would travel ahead of his journey to distant lands. A great King was indeed coming! So, the time was ripe for the herald prepared by God to arrive on the scene.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world (John 1:6-9).
John was sent from God . . . as a witness. And his family was faithful in preparing him for his calling.
It was Jesus who called John a lamp that burned and gave light (John 5:35). John’s blazing truth illuminated the density of mankind’s darkness. And spun a spotlight on the Greater Light, Jesus.
How would you like to have a job like John’s?
Ah, but you do!
We are to testify to what the Light has done in our lives. We, like John, are to point to the Christ and boldly proclaim, “Behold, the Light of the World has come!”
John was a prepared witness to testify about the Light so that all might believe.
Hear his testimony and believe!
Turn your chin heavenward and capture rays of the Lord’s light . . . and believe.
Then testify.
And shine in the glory of it all!
Out in the wilderness John declared, “Prepare the way of the Lord.”
Prepare the way for the Lord to come into your wilderness. . . this wilderness. This wilderness of chaos and confusion. This secular wilderness of noise and excess.
Clear the way for Jesus to enter in. Prepare room, where distraction impedes His entry. Pray the obstacles fall away . . . until only He remains.
To prepare for Christmas is to prepare a way for Him. Clear space for the Lord. And clear the way for His light to shine into it.
And shine it will!