Lord's Day Devotion - God's Time Out

 

This Lord's Day, let us make way in our hearts and lives for the Lord.  After all, He made way for us.  See here...

"A voice of one calling:  "in the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God" (Isaiah 40:3 NIV).

Prepare the way for the LORD, He is coming to the wilderness, and desert.  There's a voice calling to listeners with those intructions.

"Prepare the way..."  There are many things we prepare for, such as:  weddings, which take months of preparation; or even just to go to work, school or church.  You get ready and then you go.

In the Isaiah verse, it feels like there are things that need to be moved out of the way, smoothened out and untangled.  This, to make way for the new.  It could literally be like if a king or other dignitary is coming to town.  Roads get repaved, highways decked with flags of visiting countries and so forth.

Spiritually, we may need a time out to assess our lives.  What is praiseworthy and God pleasing can be kept, renewed and refreshed.  What is not, can be relinquished and cleared out of our lives.  In this way we 'prepare the way for the LORD' to come in and for us to draw near to Him, minus the distractions or influences,  even in the wildernesses and deserts our lives may be enduring.

Jesus was sent to Earth by God His Father for a big 'time out'.  John the Baptizer called out in the wilderness for the people of his time to prepare the way for Jesus' coming.  They had to repent and be baptized.  The were set apart and made ready for Jesus to come (see John 1:19-27, especially verse 23 NIV).

The 'time out' Jesus had was His mission to be punished for our sins.  He was redeeming us, and making atonement for our souls.  He prepared all those who believe, for His second coming.

Many of those John the Baptizer had 'prepared' for Jesus' first coming, then received Him, and became children of God (see John 1:12) after His resurrection and ascension.

As we prepare our hearts and minds to remember the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, let us keep in mind all His 'time out' accomplished for us.  

Take of the broken bread and drink from the cup of wine with hearts attuned to Him.  Let us then go out rejoicing, continually keeping our hearts prepared.  Make regular 'time outs' for God.  Prepare for Him to come and commune with you in the best and worst of days.  Go to Him in prayer.

Lord Jesus, our hearts bow humbly before You, thanking You for the time out You took to prepare the way for us to get back into relationship with God our Heavenly Father.

Help us through Your Holy Spirit to always take time outs to prepare for time out with You.  May it be our 'norm' even in times of great trouble and turmoil in our lives where it feel like our foundations are shaking and crumbling.  Draw us ever closer to You despite the wilderness and desert.  Make a smooth highway to You.

In Your name Lord Jesus, we give You our thanks and prepared hearts.  

Amen.

                                                           ~ERC  December 2023~

Based on isaiah 40:3 NIV.

Sing, Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord, along with Michael W. Smith.