(Isaiah 40)
A voice of one calling;
"In the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord.
Make straight in the desert, 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 people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken." (Isaiah 40:3-5 NIV)
These prophetic words from Isaiah represent the call of John the Baptist. He is the forerunner, heralding the entrance of the Messiah and the kingdom of God.
 His message is one of repentance--a time to get rid of those things that clutter and derail lives, a time to turn one's face expectantly towards God in anticipation of the promised Deliverer.
Sometimes it's attitudes of unforgiveness God needs to topple. Sometimes it's an attitude of stinginess towards people who seem to demand our attention. Or perhaps God wants to level an attitude of selfishness where all we can see is our own needs and wants.
How does faith level the ground, raise up valleys and raze mountains and hills? Where does faith play into repentance or healing?
In Romans, Paul talks about God's kindness leading us to repentance. As we hear all the marvelous things God does as we read his Word or hear others testify of His mercy and grace, it invites us.
Have you considered the stories people told of how Jesus healed them? It gave one woman confidence to touch his robe for her own healing. Her touch came with faith, a faith Jesus recognized as coming from His Father.
A friend shared she had a migraine and couldn't go out for supper. Faith(an inner knowing or confidence) rose up to pray for her and ask Jesus to remove her pain. He did and she went out for supper with us. Faith razed my fear and gave me courage to conquer the hills of unbelief with questions like 'Who do you think you are?' But it wasn't about me, it was about her and the compassion God showed her with her healing. He knew she only had these few days away from work to enjoy being creative at the scrapbooking retreat.
Faith is a gift from the Father, a gift that gives us eyes to see and ears to hear. John 6:44 says, "For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up."(NLT) Â When we truly see and hear the longing in our Father's heart for relationship with us we can't help but melt and push forward into his embrace. It's being able to hear the Word of God and see more than just a list of do's and don'ts.
Journey of Wonder
by Tamara J. Wanner
Journey of wonder
A star shines its light
Whispers a king is born
Journey of wonder
A star shines its light
Speaks of a land far away
Journey of wonder
A star shines its light
Invites magi to travel
Journey of wonder
A star shines its light
Fall at the Christ child's feet
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