Crooked Roads and Rough Ways
Today’s scripture selection: Luke 3-4
Key Verse: Luke 3:5b
When John the Baptist went off preaching in the wilderness he had a very specific job to do. He was the “voice” crying in the desert, helping to prepare the way for the promised Messiah to come.
One of the ways he did that was to quote another very famous prophet – Isaiah. He repeated Isaiah’s ancient words, written centuries before, about how valleys would be filled in; crooked roads would become straight; and rough ways would be smoothed over.
He wasn’t talking about a Biblical age highway beautification project.
He was talking about the inner spiritual renewal that would be an integral part of Christ’s advent.
- When light overcomes darkness
- When people are given a new chance
- When lives are turned around and set right
- When hope springs new out of the ashes
- When real spiritual renewal happens by the grace of God
- When the rough and crooked ways of our lives are straightened and smoothed out
Then you know God has been powerfully at work.
He doesn’t force it on us; we have to freely choose to be a part of it.
But God offers it again and again – no matter how hopeless we might feel or think things are.
God is in the business of redeeming lives through Christ’s love and grace.
So don’t worry about the less than perfect aspects of your life. God is waiting to work a miracle with the very thing you might feel is the most unfixable.
All you have to do is open your heart to the possibility.
Prayer: Lord, take my imperfect ways and accept my heart, just as I offer it. Work your miracle in my life once again – that I can become once again an instrument of your grace. AMEN.
