Preparation

"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: `Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.'" (Mark 1:2-3 NKJ)

One of my faults pertains to interruptions. I don't like them. They irritate me. I suppose that I am not alone in this idiosyncratic fault. But I don't like it because as a husband, father, and pastor irritation is not a good trait. And I constantly battle the temptation.

I only bring this up because John the Baptist reminds me of it. John was God's messenger sent to prepare "the way of the Lord" and most of Israel didn't want to be interrupted. People were too busy with their lives to accept and receive God's interruption.

Many people heard John's invitation to prepare and shook their heads in unbelief. They were too busy to allow the interruption. Others heard, but didn't pay attention because they didn't think it was important. God was not a truly significant part of their lives, so God's message wasn't important enough to stop and listen or even consider. And these people missed out on the greatest message ever given to mankind.

God's message through John is a preparation message. The Lord Messiah is coming. Prepare the way of the Lord into your hearts. Give him a straight path into your lives. Straight path preparation? What's up with that?

John message was that repentance would produce a remission of sins and water baptism would be the proof of our preparedness (Mark 1:4). Repenting of sin is our preparation to receive God's Anointed One as Savior and Lord. And it isn't a once-for-all-time exercise. Rather, repentance is a daily, state-of-preparedness activity.

Christmas reminds us of the Lord whom we prepare to receive. He is personalized in a baby lying in a stable manger. In the night outside the city, his angels interrupted a few shepherds to emphasize the significance of his identity and our need to seek this Savior. But for the majority of the populace, there was no room for God's interruption.

Dear Father, thank you for your interruption of love. Empower us to prepare our hearts and maintain our preparation for your return. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN

Prepare the way of the Lord into your heart today,