A New BeginningSample

Prepared for Jesus' coming

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight’” (Mark 1:3)

When a king comes on a state visit, his arrival is meticulously prepared. The road he will pass on must be well-kept, the grass on the roadside mowed, litter cleaned up, and the red carpet rolled out to his destination. In the past, it was customary for a special envoy to go ahead of the king to alert the people to his coming so they would not be caught off guard.

When the Lord Jesus came to earth, someone was sent ahead, as well. His name was John. His job was “to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:17). He was to warn the people that the promised Messiah was coming. Not so they would spring clean their homes, but so they would prepare their hearts for His coming. Even so many people were not particularly receptive to His message. There were still a lot of obstacles to overcome.

How is that with you? Is your heart ready for God's words to penetrate and take root? Or are there still obstructions and doubts that need to be addressed first? How could you do that?