Prepare Ye
We are a week away from Christmas. Can you believe it?
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." - Mark 1:1-8
Are you ready for Christmas?
What does it mean to be ready?
For John, the task was to prepare the way for the Lord. But he is not even six months old when Jesus is born. So, that job he was assigned is for later on, when he can get to work.
His preparation began early. The coming of Christ for John was not a one-day-a-year thing, but a life journey.
Is that how we see ourselves? Are we constantly preparing for the coming of the Lord?
Or do we see preparing for that event as a season of shopping and wrapping, writing cards, and preparing special desserts?
When we were children, preparing for Christmas meant making our list and being good. Maybe we were on the right path then, focusing on what we have to do for ourselves to be ready.
Ironically, it is when we shift our focus to other people, wanting to get them the right present, something they will like, that we miss the point.
Now, I am not saying we shouldn't give gifts. That is fun to do, and it does bring joy. But we should also look inward.
What do we need to do for ourselves so that we are ready to receive Christ into our lives again?
That is a daily event, not an annual one.
Prepare thee the way of the Lord.
It's worth considering.
More to come...