I love coming across things of old which give context for life today. Sometimes you listen to an old song, or perhaps read an old book and though the words are from many years ago they have an uncanny way of describing reality today.
I was reading recently through the book of Isaiah and was struck by the charge God has given us as the Church. The passage is familiar because it is a part of Old Testament prophecy as well as New Testament context for John the Baptist. Isaiah 40:3-5 reads:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
This passage struck me because it is more than a prophecy for what is to come; it is a description of our work as the Church today. These words from Isaiah are an invitation to us as we serve.
You see we live in a world that is a spiritual wilderness. Outside of the community of the Church people are left to fend for themselves spiritually. We are positioned right in the middle of that spiritual wilderness. Our responsibility as the people of God’s presence is to prepare the way for the Lord.
We give, pray and serve so that there would be something like high-speed access between God and our local community. We make straight a way in the desert. We level the playing field so that those who enter the doors of our churches might experience the love of God in a very real way. We work to make the glow of God’s glory shine a light across our community. (click to tweet)
Today, may these words from an old prophet provide a context for our weekend reality.
Cory Lebovitz 