January 4, 2010 - Isaiah 40:3-5

Well, this is interesting. Here's the passage:

A voice cries out:
"In the wilderness prepare the way
of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a
highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be
made low,
the uneven ground shall become
level,
and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the Lord shall
be revealed,
and all people shall see it
together,
for the mouth of the Lord has
spoken."

Look again...it doesn't say "A voice cried out in the wilderness..." It says "A voice cried out: In the wilderness prepare the way..." All these years I thought the voice was crying out in the wilderness, but instead the voice is saying that in the wilderness a way needs to be prepared. It puts kind of a different spin on it, for me.

In my own wilderness these days, I need to prepare the way for God to work in my life. The passage does not say that the Lord is going to do it, but calls us to do the preparation. How do I prepare for God? Isn't God here no matter what preparation I do? I think, for me...well, let's use a math test as an analogy. If I don't prepare for the math test, by reading, studying, working practice problems or whatever, I'll probably fail the test. It may be that I "know" the material, but if I haven't prepared, knowing the material isn't going to do me much good. Maybe its the same way with God. If I'm not preparing for Him to work in my life, maybe I won't be ready.

And how do I prepare for God? How do I make the highway straight and lift up the valleys in my life? I think, perhaps, doing what I'm doing right now. Reading God's word and trying to make sense of it. Getting fresh insights. Recognizing when He is working in my life already. Being grateful for all the blessings He continues to pour upon me. Helping others whenever I can. Recognizing when the glory of the Lord is revealed in my own life, and praising Him for it.

I may stay in Isaih a while....this book is a treasure trove.