TRACT 05 -- Prepare The Way of the LORD! (Isaiah 40:3)
The masses rush without an aim in life, trying to enjoy ease and get their daily bread, unmindful of death that waits for them. There are only a few people who think of God, fear him and do their best to observe his ordinances so that they may receive his guidance and truth.
The Creator of the universe does not forget His creatures. He loves them, thinks of them, speaks to them and searches their hearts. He desires to give them divine power out of His fullness, if they repent and turn to Him.
The LORD is He that comes to us
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they were ashamed and hid from Him, having realized the evil they had committed. Yet the Lord did not condemn them, but came looking for them saying, “Where are you, Adam?” (Genesis 3:9). The Creator looks for everyone and asks him, “Where are you? Where have you reached in your life?”
The Lord called Abraham in Mesopotamia, from the midst of his corrupt polytheistic society, and made him a restless traveler searching for a clean eternal home. Are you too, dear reader, searching for the way of righteousness, seeking an eternal home for yourself?
Jacob was a clever conniver. He fled to a far away land and married there. After long years in a strange land, he came back to his homeland. But the angel of the LORD stood in his way to punish him for his past transgression. Yet Jacob believed in the great mercy of the LORD. He wrestled the Holy One saying, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” (Genesis 32:26). Are you clinging to God until He saves you?
Moses fled from Egypt to the wilderness because, in his wrath, he had killed a watchman who was beating a Hebrew slave. After forty years the Lord appeared to him in a burning bush, and proclaimed to him that “I am who I am”, He who never changes. He will be faithful forever. Did the LORD find you in the wilderness of your life? Did your heart hear His frequent call to you? Have you felt the faithfulness of the One who does not change?
Samuel was a young lad when the LORD called him and appointed him to be a Judge over His nation. God does not choose only adults, but young people as well. We should teach children in our surroundings the word of God in their own language and guide them to Him. The LORD desires to come to young people today, using servants like you.
David committed adultery, then gave an order to kill the woman’s husband. But the LORD did not let him go. He sent him a prophet to reveal to him his crime and to proclaim God’s wrath on him. David sincerely repented and began to guide sinners to turn from sin to their Lord. David found grace and forgiveness in the LORD. Read Psalm 51; memorize it and pray its verses in faith that you will find comfort and forgiveness as David did.
Isaiah, the priest, saw a glimpse of the glory of the Holy LORD, and cried, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5).
He cried because the light of the LORD unveiled to him his condition as well as the condition of the people around him. Do you long to come near to God to see His glory? Then you will comprehend that your sin separates you from the Holy One. Do you know that your sins prevent you from coming close to the Holy Creator and they should be removed? “We beg you, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Prepare the way of the Lord!
The one who wishes to satisfy God should keep His commandments. Whoever unintentionally sins and disobeys His commandments, should confess his sin and ask the Lord’s pardon according to His promise, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). He who lies, let him go to the LORD and confess that he has lied. He who finds something in his house that does not belong to him, let him take it to its owner and beg his pardon. He who works uncleanness with another person, let him confess his iniquity to God, repent and not sin again. He who oppresses another, including his parents, spouse or children, let him seek their pardon and help them practically.
John the Baptist fulfilled the great promise of Isaiah the prophet as he repeated the revelation he received, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:3-5; Luke 3:4-6).
John the Baptist preached that no man is righteous. We are all guilty and must be cleansed and transformed to become humble. He who suffers and groans under depression should be encouraged and revived. He who cheated others, let him avoid his tricky ways, walk straight, and compensate those to whom he has done evil.
The following verses summarize the commandments of the LORD: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5), and, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). If you want to love God, keep His commandments. Ask the LORD to show you how to prepare His way that He can come to you personally.
The LORD prepares the way to you
The Son of Mary was born in a supernatural way, for God’s Spirit became a man in Him. Christ was sent in the flesh into the midst of a corrupt, sinful mankind. He proved His love for them by healing all the sick who came to Him, and by spiritual authority He delivered the possessed from their demons. Yet the majority of His nation did not recognize that the essence of His glory was His pure love.
The merciful Lord opens His heart to all who try to prepare the way for His coming to them. This is why the Son of Mary took away the sin of the world, atoned for us, cleansed us from all sin, and justified us freely. We should thank Him and love Him because he opened to us the door to heaven.
The coming of Christ to our world is the secret axis around which the history of mankind turns. God came to our world that the world would be able to turn to Him. God forgives everyone who repents and turns to Him. He who understands this secret is wise, and he who applies it will become approved.
God comes to you personally
Christ rose from the grave for He had overcome death, He ascended to heaven, and is living with the holy God. He longs for His followers whom He loves. He knows their weaknesses and hopes. This is why He sent His Holy Spirit to them. Prior to His ascending to heaven, Christ said, “I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7). God comes to us through the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, who dwells in Christ’s followers.
Did you open your heart to the Spirit of Christ? He wants to change you and fill you with His love so that His peace, joy, longsuffering and gentleness will dwell in you (Matthew 11:29, Galatians 5:22-23). The LORD knocks at the door of your heart. Will you open your heart to Him? Do not harden your mind before Him, but prepare the way of the LORD to you.
“Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1-2)
God comes to everyone
Christ’s love guides all who are spiritually renewed to bring the good news of the gospel to their friends and neighbors and tell them that God is willing to come to them too. Do not only turn around yourself, but follow Christ and search for those who are going astray.
If you do not know how to serve the Lord, pray and ask for His guidance and direction and He will instruct you how to reach others, perform good deeds, and give charity to the needy. The Lord will open your mouth so you can speak to those who desire to hear about God’s love and holiness. The Lord strengthens you, goes with you and protects you. Submit the steering wheel of your life to Christ, then you will be filled with blessings. The Lord will arrange the spiritual contacts for you.
Meditate over the mysteries of Christ’s coming
If you would like to know more about the LORD’s coming to men and women in the past, present and future, please write to us and we will send you the Gospel of Christ with meditations and prayers, so that you may be strengthened in faith, love and hope.
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