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Wanted: desert messengers

When I read Isaiah’s words this morning about the one preparing the way for the Messiah, recorded in Mark 1:2-3, I saw you and I saw me.

Yes, it’s true that the Old Testament prophet was thinking about the servant of God who would prepare the way for the Messiah.

“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” — “a voice of one calling in the desert. ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.'”

We know that John the Baptist was absolutely faithful to his calling to break up the soil of hearts that had become complacent because of unconfronted sin and neglected relationships with God.

Because John did what he was called to do, his Messiah/cousin was better able to plant the seeds of divine Truth and love into hearts introduced to the fact that everybody sins and needs a Savior.

Here’s where you and I come in to this Morning Devotion.

Because John was faithful to his “prepare the way” calling, many unsaved hearts were more ready to hear and receive Jesus’ message of salvation.

That same synergy between faithful believers, the unsaved and Jesus Christ is still relevant today.

There are people in your life who need salvation, just as there are in mine.

They need someone to prepare the way for Jesus to have greater influence in their lives.

Without someone to ask the questions that get them thinking about their dead-end paths, these people might continue through life with the blinded view that life without Jesus is just fine and that faithfulness is OK for others but not necessary.

You know people who never considered accepting Christ until someone asked them questions about life they had never heard.

Questions such as these:

  • If heaven is perfect, then how can imperfect people ever get in?”
  • “It’s not a clear conscience that saves, but instead a clear record for an entire life. For the person who sinned even once, is there no hope of salvation?

Questions like these don’t knock people to their knees and leave them crying out, “Jesus save me!”

The questions can, however, get them to see the holes in their world view and the empty corners of their hearts that no human or object can fill.

I’m glad that God doesn’t ask me to put on a camel hair robe and eat locusts in order to be the guy preparing the way for Jesus’ Truth and love to get into others’ hearts.

What He DOES ask, though, is that I understand my role in the salvation of others.

I am to prepare the way for Christ.

I am to go into what sometimes seems as a desert of faith.

Sometimes it is a desert of where it seems there is not even a puddle of concern in lost person’s life for the things of God.

Or sometimes it is a desert of my faith where I feel spiritually parched and gasping.

In those deserts, God will supply for my thirst.

And my life example of godly love might prompt a puddle or two in the lost person’s heart.

If I remain faithful as a messenger of love calling people to a better way, some will come to the oasis to taste the Living Water.

Dear friend, Jesus loves those unsaved friends and relatives in your life.

And He needs you to prepare the way.

He needs you to call out to them, particularly when they are having their “desert” seasons.

He needs you to walk the straight and narrow path so that others will get a glimpse of the path they will walk after they walk into the loving arms of Christ.

Prepare the way for Jesus, my friend.

Lives can be changed forever if you will.

As always, I love you
Martin

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