Today's advent devotion was written by SunHee Kohari:

3 A voice of one calling:

“In the wilderness prepare

the way for the Lord;

make straight in the desert

a highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be raised up,

every mountain and hill made low;

the rough ground shall become level,

the rugged places a plain.

5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,

and all people will see it together.

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”   - Isaiah 40:3-5

Elizabeth was six months pregnant with John the Baptist (Luke 1:36-37).

On Mary’s visit, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and her baby leaped in her womb for joy.  Her child, John the Baptist, already knew the Messiah was coming.

In Isaiah, we hear a voice asking us to “prepare a way for the Lord.” As God’s appointed messenger, John fulfilled Isaiah’s prophesy to prepare us to accept Jesus as God’s Son.  John’s humble message to repent, be baptized, and receive our salvation is still true today even with the wilderness we’ve been experiencing.

John knew he had a specific responsibility; to obediently and uncompromisingly announce the coming of our Savior. Even as people were moved by John’s words, in humility he pointed beyond himself to Jesus. In response to John’s message, we need to respond in faith, repent, and together joyfully and prayerfully prepare ourselves for the glory of the Lord to be revealed through the advent of Jesus, because the word of the Lord has been spoken to us.

God has spoken to us and we can trust Him to give us hope even during our unknown future. Let us prepare for the arrival of Jesus Christ, our Immanuel, which means “God with us.”

Prayer: Thank you Heavenly Father, with Your grace, we are preparing for the arrival of Your Son, our Savior Jesus, who is our Prince of Peace and our Messiah.  Amen.