Archive for January 2nd, 2008
Prepared
Relationships are built on trust and openness. So many things can get in the way of a relationship being all it should be. Other people can distract our focus or intrude on the relationship. The timing can seem wrong. Our behavior can turn the other person off or vice versa. Whether a dating relationship or a lasting friendship, envy, jealousy, manipulativeness, over-controlling, selfishness, unfaithfulness, unkindness, and a host of other things can ruin that relationship.
Much of this is true in my relationship with God. As much as I may say that I want to honor the Lord, many things can distract me from Him. However, my actions, my misbehaviors, my rebellion, my unfaithfulness, my selfishness, and my dishonesty can ruin my walk with the Father. In fact, my evil behavior can cause me to view God as my enemy and I can become alienated from the One who loves me so much.
One of the primary reasons why John the baptist came before Jesus was to prepare people’s hearts — John the baptist is one of the key people in our reading today from Luke 1. The actions of the people in Jesus’ time had alienated them from God. Their own evil behavior had made them view God as their enemy or capricious and malicious overlord. They needed someone like John the baptist to help them deal with their rebellion and to prepare the way for the Lord in their hearts.
//Inspiration: Luke 1:17
“And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous — to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
//Incarnation: What this verse means to my life today
I know that when my life is out of phase with God, when he seems distant and I feel isolated from Him, quite often it is because I have done something that I have not confessed to Him. It festers in my soul and begins to erode away the beauty of my relationship with the Holy One. While there may be times when I need someone to come in and challenge me to be what God wants me to be, I can also challenge my own heart to be ready to receive Jesus and give up my past sins.
//Invitation: My prayer for today
O God, I want my heart to be turned toward you! I want to be open to Your will, responsive to your commands, and ready for your guidance. I want to always be prepared for where the Lord Jesus, Your Son, wants to guide me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
(The daily Bible reading schedule can be found online with Heartlight or hard copy out in pdf.)
You are encouraged to share your input on today’s readings. Here a couple of questions to get you started, but feel free to ad whatever you like to the discussion.
What did you think about Phil’s take on this passage?
What is the verse that speaks most powerfully to you and why?