Prepare the Way for the Lord

"Prepare the way for the Lord”

December 5, 2025

By Doug Wigginton

Advent's first week has arrived, and we begin our preparation for the Messiah. You may wonder, "Why should we prepare ourselves for something that has already happened?"

The beauty of Scripture is that it is not just God's story or simply the accounts of those we read about within it. With God's help and a willingness to see ourselves—flaws and all—we come to recognize it as our story, too.

Psalm 25:1-10 expresses an urgent plea to the God in whom the Psalmist places his complete trust—heart, mind, and soul. There is a tone of desperation in his voice as he cries out for deliverance from suffering and for mercy. I am reminded of a man who approached Jesus, fell to his knees in tears, and said, "I believe; help me overcome my unbelief" (Mark 9:24).

We, too, look to God, whom we trust, for mercy.

The Old Testament anticipates a time when the Messiah will come to establish a new order—the Kingdom of God. The New Testament affirms that the Messiah they awaited has arrived, and that the Kingdom of God has arrived as well!

Jesus was not the type of Messiah that many religious leaders expected. They anticipated a military figure to defeat the Romans or a prophet like Moses, wishing to revive the glory days under King David.

The prophet Isaiah proclaimed, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). With hindsight, our expectations of the Messiah may differ from those of biblical times— or do they?

Like the Psalmist, we too place our trust in God. We pray, even plead, for God to see us, come to our aid, and protect us and others from evil. We want shame to fall upon those who persecute us. We seek God's guidance and await the arrival of His Kingdom. This is part of why we regularly pray for God's Kingdom to come “on earth as it is in heaven.” Many of us are undergoing suffering—some for understandable reasons and others we cannot comprehend. Instead of eliminating suffering, Jesus taught, "Blessed are those who suffer for my sake and pray for those who hate you." This may not be the reassuring message we want to hear after being wounded. Without the benefit of hindsight, would this be the Messiah we would choose?

Nevertheless, He is here. He came to usher in a new kingdom, the Kingdom of God, meant to reveal the true nature of God. According to John, Jesus said, "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father; I and the Father are one." God's mercy and love define this Kingdom, and it is a Kingdom that will come again to fulfill what He has started "on earth as it is in heaven."

Advent, therefore, is a time set apart by the church for preparing ourselves for what we now recognize as the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus, as well as His second coming. The first Advent, beginning with the birth of the child as recorded in the New Testament, was a historical event celebrated annually by Christians worldwide. However, it is not merely historical. It is a life-changing event experienced repeatedly when we choose to follow God's chosen one. The implications of this for the world and for us individually will be realized in fullness over time. "For now," Paul explained, "we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12).

The Kingdom of God is coming; the Kingdom of God is already here, and there will be a time when God will establish His Kingdom "on earth as it is in heaven." Before that happens, there is much we need to learn and do. In the words of John the Baptist, "Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight paths for Him" (Mark 1:3). Reflecting on this, we are encouraged to consider how our daily lives can actively prepare us for Christ's return and deepen our faith journey.