Advent Devotional  |  December 8, 2020

A voice of one calling: “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.” Isaiah 40:3-5

Navigating any city is a much simpler task if you understand the layout of the highway system. Highways are meant to move people in, around, through, and between major cities. It is easy to get lost in a web of endless side streets and backroads, unsure where the next turn is. It is hard to hide something on a highway, as everything is visible and few bends occur. Head west on Highway 90, for example, and the only thing that will surprise you is the amount of Wall Drug signs.

Long before His arrival, the way for our Savior was paved through the Word of God. And He did so with great emphasis! Isaiah describes a massive excavation project by God in preparation for Christ. Low valley obstructing the view? Raised up. A mountain or hill in the way? Leveled out. Rugged landscape? Became a flat plain. We know God didn’t literally do these things; otherwise, Israel would look more like Iowa. But God is making a point here: Jesus will not be missed. Pay attention, and you will see Christ.

Turn your mind back to the highway illustration for a moment. Obvious things can be missed on the highway when we’re not attentive. As you carefully search the Scriptures, it is too obvious to miss. Jesus came as expected, but He came unexpectedly. The glory of God came into this world through humble means. The world did not acknowledge or accept Him. But as we look closer at what God did through Advent, it is clear. God did what He said He would do. Pay careful attention.

Pastor Dave Mergens