The prophet Isaiah prophesied about John the Baptist preparing people for the ministry of Jesus nearly 700 years before John was born in Israel. It was John the Baptist, later in first-century Palestine, who would call out “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
John was proclaiming good news far greater than any of us could ever have imagined—that Jesus came to usher in a time of salvation for the world. Through relationship with Jesus, we are given the gift of being a part of God’s eternal family.
As we draw near to Christmas, my hope is that each of us would remember the good news that Isaiah prophesied about, that John proclaimed, and that Jesus embodied. It’s not ordinary for valleys to be raised up or for mountains to be made low. It’s also not ordinary for broken people to live lives characterized by faith, hope and love. That’s the point of Christmas—the message of the Gospel. Jesus’ entrance into the world was the gift we never asked for, but always needed.
What mountain do you need to be made low? The answer may be different for all of us, but the solution is Jesus. God doesn’t always fix things the way we want, but he’s always there for those who seek him. I encourage you in the hustle and bustle of this holiday season to carve out time to seek a deeper relationship with Jesus. He loves you and always has your best interest at heart. If we prioritize our relationship with him, we’ll be amazed at how he masterfully sculpts the rough terrain of our lives bit by bit. He’s done it before, and he won’t fail to do it again.