Prepare Him RoomSample

Prepare the Way

Today’s Reading: Luke 3

Have you noticed it?

People get greedy, grabby, and grumpy at Christmastime. We’re greedy when we obsess over excess while others go without basic needs. We’re grabby when we insist on drawing attention to ourselves when the glory belongs to God alone. And we’re grumpy when we forget that our worst day is often a thousand times better than most people’s good days. If we’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves over-indulging, over-spending, and over-committing, none of which are healthy, helpful, or healing in any way for us or others. 

John shouted to the crowds, “Prepare the way for the Lord!” Prepare? How? Did John expect people to rush home, get their act together, and come back another day for their baptism? What did he mean when he charged people to clear the way for Jesus? 

With a booming voice and deep conviction, John urged people to acknowledge their need for a Savior; to own their sin. You’ll never be free from a sin you refuse to recognize.

Ultimately, John was saying, “Prepare to change. Don’t just rush into the waters of baptism to escape hell. Acknowledge your need for a Savior. Repent of your sin. You prepare a way for the Lord in your life when you give Him room to work on you and in you—to change you from the inside out. Are you ready to turn from your selfish, sinful ways to follow Jesus on His terms? Are you ready for such a radical lifestyle change? This is not your work. You can’t do this for yourself. It’s the work of Christ within you—your hope of glory. Make no mistake, He will bring the high places low. He will humble you and dismantle your ego. He will lift the heavy burden from your shoulders and even carry you when you’re too weary to walk on your own. He will put you right where you’re thinking wrong. He’ll not only save your soul, He’ll transform you into someone you never dreamed you could be. But the road won’t be easy; you won’t feel prepared for such a journey. But Jesus will prepare you for all He has for you. Salvation is not an escape route out of hell. It’s the radical redemption of your life.”

You may ask, “What should I do?” The crowds asked the same question.

God deals differently with all of us. To some, he urged them to give out of their excess to the poor. If you have extra, give some to the poor. To the corrupt tax collectors, he told them to quit swindling people out of their money. If you’ve been cheating others, you should stop doing so immediately. He charged the soldiers to quit misusing their power.

Maybe you’re in a position of influence and you’ve leveraged your role in your favor. If so, ask God for forgiveness and begin to do the opposite. Use your power to make life better for others.

Pray: Jesus, what can I offer you this season? What does obedience look like for me? Speak to me. Amen.

Prepare: Dare to obey God even if it’s not convenient. Trust Him to move on your faith.