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Isaiah 40:3-5 – A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness 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 mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken." (NIV)
Early this year, my daughter, her husband, and baby granddaughter came to live with me. A business opportunity in town had presented itself, and they decided to buy it and move home. How wonderful is this! was my first thought. My second thought was, Oh my goodness! How are we all going to fit into this house?! Thus, the making way process began. I toured each room, checking out closets, drawers, cupboards, porches, and sheds. It could be done, but it would mean a lot of sorting, organizing, giving away, and disposal. Fortunately, I had a couple of months to prepare, and bit by bit, I did make way.
It was a very large task, however, and there were moments when I felt discouraged and overwhelmed by the project. At such times, I would stop thinking about everything that needed doing and dwell on the joy that the end result would yield. My family would be moving in. I would have help with so many day-to-day tasks and ongoing projects. I would be able to see my infant granddaughter growing and changing moment by moment. In this day and age when many grandparents see their grandchildren only once every few years or via Skype or FaceTime, what a wonderful gift I was receiving!
As I contemplated these great joys, today's Scripture verses came to mind, as Isaiah calls us to prepare the way for the Lord in our lives, on this first Sunday of Advent. Make way! This command calls us to search our lives for anything and everything that keeps us from knowing and walking with our God day by day, moment by moment. Indeed, it is rather an overwhelming thought, for we live busy and often complicated lives, and there is much that seeks to create roadblocks and obstacles to keep us from making way.
I have found, however, much like I did when I was making way for my family's arrival, that if I stop and consider the joy that comes when I make way for the Lord, I am inspired to keep going. In fact, the making way itself becomes an act of love and joy, no longer a burden or struggle. And what is the joy? The glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. Indeed, the glory of the Lord will be revealed more and more in my relationship with Him. It is a glory that fills me up and is thus revealed to all mankind around me — around us — as each one of us makes the decision, day by day, to make way for the Lord.
Prayer: Father God, thank You so much that You have called and continue to call us to make way in our lives day by day for Your Son, who day by day enables us to be filled with Your glory and all the joy of living that it brings. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.
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Great post for Advent, Lynne! Thanks and God bless!
Thank You. Lynne, exactly the message I needed to hear.
Lynne, Very encouraging devotional. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for a great illustration to begin the Advent season with, Lynne. May your Christmas be blessed.
Lynne, thank you for sharing this devotional with us. Yes! Let’s daily “make way” for the Lord in our lives. Blessings.
Thanks for the encouragement. Your granddaughter will be a bright spot in your life each day. I can see more devotionals coming.
The joy of daily life with grandchildren is something I also am living. How the Lord brought this about still mystifies me, but I thank and praise for such an amazing gift.
Hello,
What a beautiful devotional, thank you for sharing.
God bless.
Thank you, Lynn, for this good example from scripture and your good attitude towards this change in your life.
Hello!
Thank you for this devotion. A wonderful reminder as Advent begins.
God bless you for all of the light you shine through these devotionals.
So clear and profound. Perfect for my still wobbly advent. Alongside it, on my computer, someone has sent me their ‘Xmas’ letter, with one delibrate stroke, blocking out any reason for the season… How I needed these thoughtful words this morning that turn my heart to God and all His provisions to clear the path between us. Memorable, Lynn, with my thanks.
Hi Lynne,
Thanks for another great and meaningful devotional. Yes, there is great joy in having little ones close by and relates so well to the joy of relationship with our Saviour and the peaceful contentment when we make way for Him.
Blessings to you.
(B.C.)
Hi Lynn,
On this the first Sunday in Advent it is indeed good to be thinking and preparing for the celebration of the coming of the Lord into this world so many years ago. At this time of the year many people who don’t usually go to church will do so and, if they do, I pray that the true gospel of Jesus will be preached in a reverent, easy to understand and meaningful way.
I wish you and yours a blessed Sunday.
Dear Lynne Phipps,
I enjoy your Godly “make way” application.
I hope your house is large with space for you to be yourself and separate space for the family to be themselves.
Too much togetherness can be, well, just too much.
May God guide you all in the ways you should be and go.
For Jesus’ sake.
Dear Lynne,
You have become one of those writers who gives me many ‘aha’ moments of delight in reading your insightful devotions. As I read through and hear of your new ways of relating your everyday experiences with the scriptures … and come to see your name as the contributor … I just smile and say to myself, “Of course!”
Thank you once again,
Blessings.
Lynne
This is a most appropriate message for all of us. We must learn to live by faith and to step out into the unknown at the leading of the Holy Spirit. When we step out in faith we grow in our faith and what we thought were obstacles become the source of blessings we could not even begin to imagine.
Enjoy your granddaughter and having your daughter and son-in-law with you. So often young people leave small communities never to return again. God has called them to come back and God has opened a door for them which no one can close when we step out in faith.
God’s richest blessings this Advent Season as we learn to wait upon the Lord.
Morning, Lynne,
When our children were growing up my parents lived eight hours away. How I yearned for them to be closer so that our children could know how wonderful they were and see them more often. We are four hours away which allows for us to be a part of their lives more than my folks were with their grandchildren. The caveat is the grandchildren love the ranch and when they were little they would come and stay for several days without their parents. We were exhausted when they went home but they got to know their cousins and they are a very close group.
When I write this to you, I am reminded of a sermon our pastor preached recently. He told us about a lady he knew in their small Presbyterian church in when he was growing up. When asked how she was, she would always answer, “I am grateful.” At the end of the sermon he asked the congregation, “How are you?” We responded, “We are grateful.” I will never forget that story and I bet in the long run we you remember your children returning to the nest (along with the complications), you will say, “I am grateful.” In know you will.
What a lovely Christmas you will have with your family there.
Thanks, as usual, for your spiritual in sight.