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A Word of Preparation for The Way
From Luke 1: 68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. 72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear,75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. 78 By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
This week will mark the 50th Anniversary of a tragedy that tore the heart of our country, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. It was he who said at his inauguration, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." In this passage from we hear what God has done for us; in fact in pretty much all of the Bible we have an account of God's love and mercy towards us. It should prompt the second part of the president's question, what can we do for God?
God has blessed us, we should bless God. God has looked favorably upon us and redeemed us, we should look favorably upon God. God has raised up a mighty savior for us and saved us, we should be thankful and grateful. God has rescued us from our enemies, sin and death; we should live abundant lives as a testimony of what God can do. God has delivered us from fear, we should live fearless lives. And in the passages where Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist whose birth prompted this passage, he outlines what John will do to prepare the way for the Lord as well as what God would continue to do through the Messiah. God will "give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." We should accept the light of Christ and get up from our darkness and continue the journey of faith and service.
PRAYER: Loving God, You have shown us a better way to live. Let us accept it and praise You. This we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
