Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV
When we follow and worship God, life makes much more sense. This life may not be the easiest, but we know webare going the right way.
A voice cries: “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.
Isaiah 40:3-4, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
Our sins have stacked up to heaven, deeper and more vile than we could know.
The sin we all commit and have committed have left rocks in our path that we trip over, created potholes that we stumble in, and knocked down debris that block our way and push us to different paths.
The Prophets of old worked to prepare people for God.
John was born to begin preparing hearts for the coming Messiah, claiming he was the fulfillment of this passage. (Matthew 3:1-3; Luke 3:1-5)
The Baptizer called us to repent, to change our thinking and actions, to prepare for our Savior.
We still struggle to be clean and clear, to obey and love.
Yet, God came to us, He comforts our souls and does the initial work of removing those rocks, filling the potholes, and moving debris from our way.
We can prepare ourselves by seeking our Creator and Savior who is capable of leveling out our lives, knowing that only in Him is it completely possible.
We will still stumble and deal with consequences for our sins, but the way is made easier in Christ.
May we seek the Lord who helps us, preparing ourselves by seeking His path.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6, ESV
There is only one way to salvation, to reconciliation with God, and that is by grace through faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Let us be bold in sharing this truth with the world.
but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:7-8, ESV
Our God came to us, denying His privileges and hiding His glory, as a man, to show us the way, make us clean, and prepare a way until He returns or calls us home.
Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.
Micah 7:18, ESV
Of all the world religions, only one has a God who gave Himself to give us a way to eternal life and forgiveness, rather than our needing to earn our way.
Do we truly love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths? Maybe I can help with the mind part, at least! This is Daniel M. Klem, apparent poet, reluctant yet passionate Disciple (Peter?), and foolish man attempting to understand theology!