Prepare the Way for the Lord
(Luke 3:2-6)

Christmas is coming near, on which the coming of Jesus to redeem the entire humanity is celebrated. According to the church calendar, the 4 weeks before Christmas is called Advent, which is the period to celebrate the Nativity of Jesus Christ and to prepare His Second Coming. Our life should be always about preparing the coming of the Lord. Then how should we prepare?

1. Remain in the Word of God
While John the Baptist had been eagerly awaiting the coming of the Messiah, the Word of God came upon him. When the Word of God completely captivated him, he was able to be involved with the ministry to prepare the coming of the Lord in earnest. We are the people who are waiting for the coming of the Lord. Therefore, we should remain in the Word of God as well. Filled with and obedient to the Word of God, we should prepare the way for the Lord.

2. Repent
Caught up in the Word of God, John the Baptist proclaimed the message of repentance to the people. The first message of Jesus when He started His ministry was to repent. Repentance does not mean mere contrition, but it means ‘the change of direction’. And then through the change of life, which is the fruit in keeping with repentance, we should have the fullness of the Holy Spirit. People who repent will receive salvation, the gift of God. Also, repentance leads the life of saints to the blessing of God. Korean church history shows that when saints gathered to repent, the Holy Spirit came upon them, their lives were renewed, and there was a remarkable revival in the church. Through true repentance we should prepare the way for the Lord.

3. Be a person who prepares the way for the Lord
To prepare the way for the Lord is to make a way of the mind to receive the Lord. To this end, the valley of our hearts must be filled in. Also every mountain and hill must be made low. The crooked roads must become straight, and the rough ways smooth. Therefore the wounds of our hearts like valleys should be filled with the love of the cross; the mountain of pride should be lowered; the crooked hearts should be straightened with honesty and truth; the rough ways of habitual sins and dissensions should become smooth, by which we can prepare the way for the Lord.

Remain in the Word of God. Renew your heart through repentance. Let our hearts become the prepared way for the Lord. I bless you and pray that you may have a blessed Christmas as Jesus who came as the king of peace gives you joy and hope to the full.