Preparing the Way

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” Luke 1:13-17

Zechariah prays. God hears his prayer. He sends an angel and brings great and unbelievable news to Zechariah and Elizabeth. God’s Truth comes to pass for He said it.

John will “…make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

As I prepare for Christmas this year, I am mindful of being drawn closer to Christ Jesus, my LORD, with each day, each passing minute, or even a second. God gave John a calling to draw people to the LORD Jesus even before He became known. He was to prepare a people for His coming. In our own day, we, too, can prepare for His coming as He enters our hearts with newness each year, each Christmas, but also each and every day, each and every moment. Christ brings cleansing and wholeness to us with each breath. May we then be prepared and turn to prepare others.

Father God, I seek You and call upon You to prepare my heart in this Advent season. I wait. I wait, Father, for Your Son comes anew although He has been, has gone, rose again, and yet lives in me today through Your Holy Spirit for I am one who had to be prepared once for His coming. I believed. But I believe today, not in the past tense, for “believing” is ongoing and for always. Father, breathe in me afresh daily that I would be able to prepare others for His coming. I praise You, Father, for You gave us the Only Gift we would ever need. Nothing else matters. Nothing…for until I knew You, nothing meant anything. I thought ‘things’ meant something to me, but they really did not. Knowing You, Your Son, Your Holy Spirit, the Trinity, is All that makes a difference in my life. I know that Your Son is the Redeemer for He redeemed me, even me. Praise You, LORD. You are the Holy One of Israel. I pray in Your Name. Amen.