Prepare the Royal HIghway

As it is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet, "A voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough roads smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."
Luke 3:4-5




Only 17 shopping days left! So much too prepare for the holidays and not enough time! Doesn't' all this express that possibly these individuals are preparing for the wrong celebration? Who, why or what are they preparing for?

The prophet Isaiah foretold what John the Baptizer would proclaim: Prepare the way for the Salvation of God! This is something entirely different than what most people prepare for in December these days. For sure this prophecy is about the Coming Messiah, the Christ child Jesus. He would most assuredly bring salvation from heaven above.

Why do so many get this vital message lost amid so many other messages that should not merit our attention and preparation as the Coming Messiah should? The answer is given in verses 4 and 5: our valleys and mountains and crooked ways and rough places. In essence, this is describing the problem for which the Savior comes to earth to be born Our Savior: sin. Sin raises up mountains so high from God's holiness that no one could ever get over them back to God. Likewise, sin deceives us into thinking that we have valleys so low that God could never reach us, paths so crooked that will never reach our hopes and aspirations, paths so rough that we are convinced they are the norm, all that is possible for us. These all must be removed. And removed they are by this one whom Isaiah and then John the Baptizer prophecy will come and save us from them all: the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ our Lord. His first Advent was to overcome each and every one of these sins by His perfect life being sacrificed on the cross as the acceptable punishment and way back to fellowship with God.

So prepare the royal highway for Jesus' Second Coming/Advent! Repent of your mountains, valleys, crooked ways and rough places, and turn to Jesus' forgiveness of sins in the Precious Gospel. "Prepare the royal highway; the King of Kings is near! Let ev'ry hill and valley a level road appear! Then greet the King of Glory foretold in sacred story: Hosanna to the Lord, for He fulfills God's Word!"