The King is coming! Prepare the way! by adp

"A voice is calling, 'Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our GOD." -- Isaiah 40:3

What a fitting message to think about this time of year, the declaration of the coming of our King! This is such a Christo-centric passage from the Old Testament that I believe we must not over look. In the first two verses of this great chapter in Isaiah, we have the Gospel message, "Comfort, O comfort My people, says your God. Speak kindly to Jerusalem; and call out to her, that her warfare has ended, that her iniquity has been removed, that she has received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins." Comfort to know that our warfare with sin has ended, that our iniquity against our Holy God has been removed, and that from God we have received blessings and pardon double for our sins! This is the Gospel, the good news of Christ Jesus! Now repent and prepare the way of the LORD!

I hope that this Christmas we will all be reminded of this good news. I hope that we can all lay aside the secular things that have poisoned the true meaning of Christmas and reflect on the birth of our Savior. What do you think this declaration meant to the shepherds in the field that night? "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." -- Luke 2:10-11 The shepherds response to this good news should be every ones response, "they came in a hurry" -verse 16. When we hear the good news of Jesus Christ we should not delay in our response to Him. Prepare ye the way of the LORD! Repent and believe! What a glorious thought that God sent His only begotten Son from heaven to earth, to be born of a woman and take upon Himself the flesh of earthly men. This very One that we celebrate this time of year is the same One that bore our sins on Calvary.

Not only did God give us His Son, He was also pleased to crush His Son on or behalf (Isaiah 53:10), so that we would receive "double for all our sins." Not only that, but God raised Him from the dead and He is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3). This is the One in whom we owe everything, our lives, our breath, our families, etc. But where has this One gone in our Christmas "traditions"? Do we really reflect on the good news of the Gospel and the coming of our King? I am just as guilty as you. I get caught up in all of the same hoopla that everyone else does, the tree, hanging big bulb lights around the house, the presents, egg nog (non-spiked), parties, and so on. But my prayer is that this year will be different. No more being comfortable with traditions and secular non-sense, but reflection on the birth of my King, prayer for repentance, sharing the good news, reading the birth narrative to my kids instead of playing Santa, and thanking God for the great joy that He has given us in Christ.

This is my prayer for us all, that we will not neglect our Savior...ever!