MORNING GLORY 30
Good Monday morning, friends. It's March which means it's my wedding month AND week! These days are busy, exciting, and have all the bride-to-be feels (which I'm told are completely normal!) I found rest this morning in continuing my Lent reflection through Isaiah 40, and wanted to share this verse with you.
These words paved the way hundreds of years before John the Baptist told of the Lord’s coming - - the voice we read shouting out. There was a lot of preparation between Isaiah's prophesy and John's fulfillment in the New Testament.
This season I’m reminded the same preparation in this verse is true for us in our hearts. The road building and desert clearing happens as God prepares us for Himself. Only after valleys are exalted, mountains are made low, rough grounds are leveled and smoothed is our hearts - - only then is revelation of the Lord’s glory revealed to us. (verses 4-5)
We cannot build these roads on our own. Have you ever driven on a road just about to be repaved? Now compare that rough and loud ride to a freshly paved road - - so new there aren't even lanes marked out yet! But before the road could provide smooth travels, it had to be taken back to its base level - - scrapped down to its foundation and rebuilt. May it be so with us. The rough spots in our hearts cannot be new with fresh pavement without scraping down to the base level first. We need a skilled and careful Builder to remove the layers of road wear on our hearts and provide a new way for us.
Isaiah 40 reminds me the Lord’s coming was prepared in advance and all part of God’s plan from the beginning. Not one detail was apart from God’s hand. He is sovereign and able to do anything in a moment, and yet He began preparing the way for Jesus generations before He walked the earth.
Friend, God is preparing you for good work today. Today, we might not see it completely. We might feel like we’re walking on rough grounds desperately needing a fresh road. But in this very place, we can trust the Lord already has made a way. He is preparing us to follow; rough roads, steep hills, winding valleys, and all. His glory will be revealed to us because through Jesus it already has been and will continue to be. May it be so.
What is the Lord preparing in you?