Lighting the Way - Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is Near - Luke 3:1-17
Malachi prophesied that before the Lord's coming He would prepare His people. "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me" (Malachi 3:1). Our Heavenly Father is gracious, merciful, and patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance (reference 2 Peter 3:9). He warns us time and time again to be ready, watchful, and waiting, because He is returning...soon!
As we read the Scriptures, we realize that the times have not changed much in the past few thousand years. The people had given up on God, they were living morally corrupt lives, and were as cynical and complacent as they are today. The Lord's intervention was necessary, but with it would come judgment; it is only by His great mercy that He sends his messengers to prepare His people and give them opportunity to repent and return to Him. We are in need of His divine intervention today, but we must be prepared to accept that His judgment will begin with His people. "For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God..." (1 Peter 4:17).
Last week we sat at the Lord's table for the Passover feast, today we return in time for the second cup, the cup of judgment. When this cup was to be served the youngest family member would ask a series of four questions, to which the oldest member would provide the answers. There were four cups, four questions, and four answers, all pointing to the fulfillment of the Lord's four promises to the Israelites: "I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God" (Exodus 6:6-7a).
Jesus said,"You are the light of the world...let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14, 16). As we light the second candle of Advent, the Bethlehem candle, symbolizing the humble birth of our Savior, let us offer a prayer of gratitude to the Lord for sending messengers who with humble hearts, willingly and obediently, responded to God's call to let their light shine in the darkness, so that we all would have the opportunity of receiving His glorious gift of salvation. May we, now, be willing to pick up the cup, cleaning out the inside first, making ourselves ready and available to be poured out on a world in desperate need of His salvation.
"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.
Not many of you were wise by human standards;
not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise;
God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things -
and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are,
so that no one may boast before Him.
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus,
Who has become for us the wisdom of God -
that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption."
(1 Corinthians 1:26-30)
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A New Journey is coming....December 26th through January 6th
a twelve day devotional email in preparation for the new year
Registration and information will be available in next week's email.
"For the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,
as the waters cover the sea."
(Habakkuk 2:14)
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