The Cry of Christmas

Prepare the way of the LORD, make straight . . . a highway for our God

The world is in a turmoil we have never known. We hear it in the cry of a generation that faces struggles in ways no generation before them has. They face wildernesses brought on by war, deserts caused by the destruction of death across much of the globe, deep valleys of despair and discouragement, and rough moments in life no one can escape.

What hope can we offer the world in our times?

The hope of Isaiah the Prophet when he spoke of the wonder of Christmas (Isaiah 40:3-5) through the glory of the Lord.

The current generation seeks glory as much as any other generation in our lifetime.

They are the children of divorce in the nation of the family, the children of violence in the land of peace, the children of financial uncertainty in the country of prosperity, the children of limitation in the land of the unlimited. No wonder so many of them cry out this Christmas season.

Yet they don’t know the true cry of Christmas, the voice that cries out in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. The Lord has come, the way has been prepared, all we have to do is show them what His coming means. That’s what the cry of Christmas is all about. We are the voice of Christmas in our relationships, our lifestyles, our values, our message, our very lives.

The world sees the answer it seeks through our lives. We introduce them to the way of the Lord through the way we love even in the wilderness. We make a straight highway for our God by the integrity of our actions. We lift up the deep valleys of fear and despair by showing them how to find the safe paths to peace and joy. We level out the ground of life and make the rough places smooth through our trust in God even when that makes no sense. The cry of our lives brings the glory of God into a world that sees its own glory fading at every turn.

This generation will see the Lord’s glory through us as we walk with Jesus and show them what His life looks like in us. By His presence in us the promised baby of Bethlehem reveals Himself as the Resurrection of Calvary, the one who brings life and love to all, even those who have no hope and no expectations. This is what the mouth of the Lord said when He sent us into the world with His message. In this Christmas season let your voice be His voice, prepare the way for Him in the lives of those you love. Cause those who live in the wilderness and desert of our times to see the glory of the Lord in your love for them even as He said they would so long ago. He lives in you to reveal himself to those around you who must walk through the rough valleys of broken relationships and climb the harsh mountains of hopeless until you show them the wonder of God through Christ in you.

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