Pearls of Great Value

John 1:23: John answered them, “I am an urgent, thunderous voice crying out in the desert—clear the way and prepare your hearts for the coming of the Lord Yahweh!” 

Reading these words today, it struck a cord in my heart and vibrated through my senses. I could hear John. I could see him in my mind's eyes standing before me clothed in camel hair with a leather belt around his waist, this fiery look in his eyes that made people stand at attention. The passion in his voice! The urgency he felt as he spoke this message. I felt it. 

Can you see him? Standing in the town square, his voice echoing through the streets, " Clear the way!"? Can you see him standing in the field outside your home, declaring," Prepare your hearts!" Can you hear his voice in the place you're sitting right now, exclaiming, " Prepare! The Lord is coming!"

I can hear him. I want you to hear him too. I want the message of John's heart to ring with truth in our hearts. Yahweh is coming! The Lord God Almighty is coming! I want the urgency and excitement of John to speed through the ages and take hold of us. Catch our hearts on fire and make us cry out as well.

Clear the way! Is there anything that is hindering us from seeing His return? Are there hidden sins? Clear them away. Do you have to go and make things right with your friend, your neighbor, your family member? Clear the way. Clear the debris of the past life. Let's face it, if our rooms, houses and cars need a cleaning every once in a while, maybe our minds and hearts might appreciate one too. Just saying!  Clear the guilt. Clear the doubts. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly and it will multiply and bulldoze those things that are stumbling blocks in our path.

Clear the way. How often do I see the faults and flaws of humanity but forget to see the imagery of God in them? God's fingerprints are all over us. He's our creator and as such I need to value His creation as much as He does. Clear the way, also speaks to this. Am I vigilant in pursuing the hearts of mankind to help them to see the goodness of God? To lead them to repentance. If the path before me is full of people needing Christ's love and forgiveness, is it right for me to walk past and leave them without the good news? Jesus reminds me that His heart is to save those who are lost. Clearing the way is me helping those in need, those in wilderness seasons, see that Christ has made a way. 

Isaiah 43:19 AMPC: Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Prepare your heart! Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Get a taste. Once you've tasted and seen Him? Nothing will keep you from desiring more. Get your senses and taste buds acquired to the Word. Dive in. Don't give up until you've seen and tasted that the Lord is good. Sometimes our taste buds are so used to having certain foods they pull back when anything new is introduced. The same is true spiritually. Our senses have been trained to like the old lifestyle, so it may take some training and continued tasting to get our old cravings out of the way and desire the new. Do not grow weary in doing good and pursuing the Word! God is faithful and rewards those who diligently pursue Him!

Father God, today I come before You with a heart that yearns to see You be magnified in this world. Help us to see the harvest that is ripe and ready. Oh Lord of harvest, send harvesters into the fields! And here am I Lord, send me! Come Holy Spirit and work in our hearts, make us willing and able to submit to You. If there is anything we need to do to clear the way, show us today Lord. Maybe we have seen and weren't willing to change, forgive us Lord, and remind us once again. Show us what it means to prepare our hearts. Is the soil of our hearts hard? Work in us, Lord! Teach us to do Your will, for You are our God! Thank you Father for grace and mercy. Thank you for never giving up, and for renewing a right spirit within us when we want to give up. You are so worthy of praise and honor! In all I am, and all I do, let it bring glory to You. In Jesus' name Amen.