December 1 - Prepare

December 1 - Prepare

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." (Isaiah 9:2)

"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." (Isaiah 40:3-5)

We spend the month of December preparing for Christmas Day, gifts are purchased and wrapped, decorations are hung, plans are made for parties, cookies and goodies are baked, pageants and concerts are rehearsed and presented. Everything begins to point to the celebration of Christ's birth.

I know that each year as I feel the warm sensations of love and happiness surround me, I want to find ways to extend that into the new year, but before I know it, holidays and seasons are passing and I find myself preparing once again.

While the celebration of Jesus' birth is extremely important to me as a Christian, I think that the reminder of the Advent season to prepare our hearts for His return is so much more important. Jesus spends an incredible amount of time talking about His return.

There is a word that I want you to learn - 'parousia' (pah-roo-zia or pah-roo-shah). It is a Greek word often used for the second coming, but it means 'presence, a being present, a coming to a place - coming, arrival.' It is used in different contexts throughout the New Testament. This is the word that we mean when we say 'Advent.' It is the arrival of Christ among us.

John says, "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." (1 John 2:28)

The word 'appear' in that verse is translated from the Greek word parousia.

2 Peter 3:11b-12 says, "You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming."

In this verse, the word 'coming' is translated from the word parousia.

The New Testament writers fill their Gospels and letters with messages to us to be prepared for the Day of the Lord.

Prepare your hearts, prepare your lives. Make straight the highway of our God. Prepare ye the way of the Lord!!!