Prepare the way

Isaiah 40:3-5

A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. (4) "Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; (5) Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

Matthew 3:1-3

Now in those days John the Baptist *came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, (2) "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (3) For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'"

I think that I would be hard pressed to see the move of God call for in Isaiah fulfill by one guy preaching in the wilderness. In my normal way of thinking I would be looking for a big movement and much to do. But my view is because I do not think much of people, but rather look mostly for the “response of others” to verify what God is doing. The truth is, I like many Americans, probably would reject the Lord Jesus Himself when He was capture, tortured and put to death. We simply do not see small, suffering, sacrificial people or events as significant to the Lord. The one possible exception to that is a mission. Unless the mission is a person, a struggling food pantry we except and help, a John the Baptist we tend not to.

This is all changing. People, maturing in intimacy with the Lord, are seeing and hearing Him speak through people of all positions and standing in life. Disciples, mature in humility, are hearing the Master speaking through people who are mostly hidden from public view and adorned with non-traditional culture. While we have a great tendency to value those who have a culture like our own, many are now starting to see the Lord in ways, forms and traditions that are foreign to them. Where once people determined the activity of God according to circumstances or their personal view of success, people are now seeing and hearing the Lord as He acts through others, regardless of external circumstances.

I have noticed that public leaders have started repositioning their hearts. Where once they felt that they were spiritual people with spiritual answers, more and more they are now seeing how great many who they called “followers” are. At the same time they are seeing the wisdom and revelation of the Lord in “common Church people” they are also very aware of their own personal sins and failures. This double edge sword of seeing others rightly and not thinking to highly of ourselves is God grace in this hour. It is God’s grace because some of the great highway builders are beginning to be released for their work.

God is not against church leaders and authority. Much of the present burden on our pastors and leaders is the result of the people not doing their part. We have built a system of watching waiting for ministry and service and not being responsible for our part. This is changing. In that change we will see that what one pastor did in eighty hours of work will be done in less than an hour as eight disciples do the work they were called to do. This lifestyle of following the Lord will bless everyone, the leaders, the disciples and the Lord.