A Gift for AllSample

Clear Passage

“Clear the way . . . for the LORD! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!” —Isaiah 40:3

When heavy snowfall closed a highway in eastern Idaho, a dedicated snowplow driver named Ray cleared twenty-six miles of the deep snow from the road to help a thirty-nine-week pregnant mother.

The couple had snowmobiled from their residence to the closest place they could be picked up. Ray’s service enabled an ambulance to reach them and drive them to a hospital where the baby was delivered safely.

What Ray very practically did for that expectant mother, God does for His people spiritually. The prophet Isaiah likened the physical labor exerted to prepare roads for visiting kings to the need to prepare our hearts to receive the Messiah, encouraging them (and us) to “clear the way . . . for the LORD!” (Isaiah 40:3).

His message consoled the people of Jerusalem during their days of captivity and foretold the work of John the Baptist who spoke of Jesus’ imminent arrival (Luke 3:3-4).

Through His sacrifice for our wrongdoings, Jesus makes the “rough places” of our spiritual path to God “level . . . and smooth” (Isaiah 40:4) enabling us to receive our King. As recipients of that good gift, we humble ourselves—making low the high places of our pride—and merely wait at the “pick up” location by trusting Christ’s work. We can expectantly delight in the delivery of our greatest joy: a right relationship with God.

Kirsten Holmberg

What “deep snow” did Jesus remove to clear your path to God? How does the good gift of His work bring you joy today?

Dear Jesus, thank You for making a way for me to know You.