A Word from The Word Wednesday

PREPARE

 

This week's word was a little bit difficult to choose.  There were many words that could have gone with the verses that I am focusing on...and the picture in my mind is hard to condense down to ONE word.  Luke 3:5-6 says, "Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall become straight and the rough roads smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

 

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say about these verses..."Here is the fulfilling of the Scriptures, Isaiah 40:3, in the ministry of John...when way is made for the gospel into the heart, by taking down high thoughts, and bring them into obedience of Christ, by leveling the soul, and removing all that hinders us in the way of Christ and His grace, then prepartion is made to welcome the salvation of God."

 

 

The picture that I get in my mind after reading this is of a path that is cluttered...cluttered with rocks, logs, and all sorts of debris.  The path has many twists and turns...dips that are just as difficult to go down as to go up...hills, moutains...very "troublesome" terrain.  When John came to proclaim the gospel to the people of that day, he was "clearing the way" for Jesus to enter into the lives of those people!  He went along removing all of the rocks, logs, debris (hinderances) along the path...he, with the help of God, made the path straight...filled in the ravines, made the mountains and hills flat.  The path was made clear so that salvation could come in! 

 

Should this not be our desire as well...to help the people that we come in contact with to remove the hinderances in their path to salvation?  All the while, we need to make sure that the debris doesn't begin to clutter our path again. 

 

 

 

Dear Lord,

           Thank You for revealing new things to us as we study Your Word.  Even though I had read these verses before, they had never quite given the picture that they did this week.  Help us to "clear the way"...to prepare...ourselves by removing the hinderances in our life that clutter the path to You.  I pray that my way be clear and prepared to hear You when You speak and to learn from Your Word.  Help us to do as John did as he helped others prepare for You! 

In Jesus name,

Amen.