For several months now, I have been enjoying the book "Morning and Evening" by Charles Spurgeon. I have been having my time with the Lord both in the morning and before bed...so this book seemed to be a great companion...and I love Charles Spurgeon! On January 3rd I came to an evening of exhortation in the book that I wanted to share with you as my Sabbath reflections because I have been rolling it around in my head and in my prayer time.
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of 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 crooked will be made straight, the rugged places a plain." Isaiah 40:1-4
The four directives in Isaiah 40 must have my serious attention:
"Every valley shall be raised up or filled." Low and groveling thoughts of God must be given up, doubting and despairing must be removed, and self-seeking and carnal delights must be forsaken. Across these deep valleys, a glorious causeway bust be raised.
"Every mountain and hill must be made low." Proud creature-sufficiency and boastful self-righteousness must be leveled to make a highway for the King of Kings. Diving fellowship is never granted to the haughty, high minded sinners.
"The crooked shall be made straight." The wavering heart must have a straight path of decision for God and holiness marked out for it. Double-minded men are strangers to the God of truth. My soul, take heed that you are honest and true in all things as in the sight of the heart-searching God.
"The rough places shall be made plain." Stumbling blocks of sin must be removed, and thorns and briers of rebellion must be uprooted. So great a Visitor must not find miry ways and stony places when He comes to honor His favored ones with His company. Oh, that this day the Lord would find in my heart a highway made ready by His grace, so that He make a triumphal progression through the utmost boundaries of my soul, from the beginning of this year to the end of it!" - Charles Spurgeon
Take time to look through each of these words in this passage found in Isaiah. Allow God to challenge your heart. Make this year a complete investment in the kingdom that will last forever. Commit those prideful places of your life to God and allow Him to be the one to direct your path. Give Him those places that you seek fulfillment from friends, money, attention, food, self and success. Allow God to fill those places and to straighted your crooked heart. We all have gone astray. But, in this passage the encouragement is to allow God to have His way in your life so that you are prepared for every good work!
Start this year in God's Word! Enjoy the ride!
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