Sunday 24 June, 2018

1 Comment/in /by

Matthew 3:1-6

3 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” 4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

This passage opens many years later & we find John preaching & baptising people who have repented from their sin. We’re told that John had been prophesied about some 7 centuries earlier by Isaiah as the ‘One preparing the way for the Lord’, preparing people’s hearts for the coming Messiah – Jesus.

This has got me thinking about the people who ‘prepared the way for the Lord’ in my life. People & events come to mind, conversations, invitations, all playing their part which prepared my heart to accept Jesus as Lord of my life. These various ones were faithful to play their part as John was, I’m certain I wouldn’t know Jesus without them. I’m reminded again at how relational the Gospel is and how God can use each one of us to impact the heart of another.

Lord Jesus thank you for the faithfulness of those you used to prepare my heart for you. You know their names, even though I’ve forgotten some, bless them today. I pray that I can be so faithful in my relationships in speaking about you, use me in similar ways, to prepare hearts for you.

Written by Suzie Hodgson

1 (reply)
  1. Andrew says:

    Suzie
    What a wonderful thing to reflect on. Who helped prepare my (rather hard, stubborn and closed) heart to receive the Lord?
    A few come quickly to mind, and they know that I am so grateful. But upon reading your message tonight, as I reflect there are many more.
    In fact, I will now take a few days to reflect and think and be grateful for all those other people who were not there at the finish line as I crossed from one kingdom to a better one, but did put in a word, a nudge, a year or 25 of prayer for me (my praying Grandma), gave me wise counsel, or a good book.

    It is easy to remember those that helped me “turn the corner”, but there was a long journey before then, and many people preparing the way for me.

    I am taken by the bold sounds of the beginning of the musical Godspell. “ PRE-EE-PARE YEE THE WAY OF THE LORD !!! “

    Thanks Suzie for giving me much to think about.

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