Why a Traditional Christmas? Part 2

 

Word #1: Prepare

We have talked about some of the things that we think about when it comes to getting ready for Christmas. Chances are, the places in your house where you place your snowman knick knacks, your snow globes, and your Christmas tree are occupied by other decorations during the rest of the year. So, in order to have space to put your Christmas stuff out, you have to get the other stuff out of the way.

In our Scripture for this morning, we are told that John the Baptist is the one whom Isaiah spoke about when he told there would be a voice calling in the desert in 40:3.
A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

When we look at the word prepare closely in the Hebrew, we find that it refers to a clearing out. We are to clear out a way for the Lord in the wilderness and make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

In the ancient Near East the custom of sending representatives ahead to prepare the way for the visit of a monarch was common. Sometimes, they would even do work on the road to make it as professional as possible. They wanted to make a road that was worthy of their King, and sometimes, that involved removing fallen trees or filling in holes to make the path as good as possible.

But, what is Isaiah referring to by telling us to make our paths straight? We get that answer a few chapters earlier.

In Isaiah 26:7, we are told, “The way of the righteous is smooth: O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level.” So, in order to prepare a smooth path for the Lord, we must be righteous. This means that we must clear out the sin and the stumbling blocks in our lives that make it impossible for God to come and be in our lives. By telling us to prepare, John the Baptist is saying that the King is coming, so we must make sure we are ready to receive Him. How do we do this? We begin the process of spiritual and behavioral change. More tomorrow...you are loved!