There's an interesting passage in Isaiah that talks about smoothing the paths and terrain to make way for the LORD. These verses struck me as rather odd at first glance. Why would you want to flatten the land?? Isn't that a big part of what makes up the beauty, the splendor, the uniqueness of it? Where would we be without lush rolling hills covered in heather, without the fragrant blossoms peppering the crevices of the valley, without the craggy snow-covered mountaintops to look at and admire?
I've always loved mountains - their beauty, their serenity, their tranquility....a mountain gives me a feeling of peace and contentment that few other places can match. So when I was reading this passage in Isaiah, my first thought was, "why would we ever WANT to flatten the mountains? Why is that considered a good thing?"
But then I read it again. The author is talking about revealing God's glory to others. And I realized something: uneven terrain makes travel and communication difficult. Especially in Biblical times. Rugged mountains can increase exponentially the effort and difficulty it takes to get a message across. They may have been fun to look at, but in practicality they made the lives of the ancient Hebrews much harder.
So what does this mean for us? Where is the spiritual bent to my little foray into cartography? Have we created hills in our lives, mountains that make it difficult for the Holy Spirit to invade our lives? Do we have obstacles that make it impossible for His messages to reach our spirits? Wildernesses can exist not only in the physical world, but also in the spiritual one, as well. Don't let your spirit dry up. Don't block off God's advances to your heart. Be sensitive to what He wants to teach you today. Prepare the way for Him in your life, so that His glory can be revealed.
I've always loved mountains - their beauty, their serenity, their tranquility....a mountain gives me a feeling of peace and contentment that few other places can match. So when I was reading this passage in Isaiah, my first thought was, "why would we ever WANT to flatten the mountains? Why is that considered a good thing?"
But then I read it again. The author is talking about revealing God's glory to others. And I realized something: uneven terrain makes travel and communication difficult. Especially in Biblical times. Rugged mountains can increase exponentially the effort and difficulty it takes to get a message across. They may have been fun to look at, but in practicality they made the lives of the ancient Hebrews much harder.
So what does this mean for us? Where is the spiritual bent to my little foray into cartography? Have we created hills in our lives, mountains that make it difficult for the Holy Spirit to invade our lives? Do we have obstacles that make it impossible for His messages to reach our spirits? Wildernesses can exist not only in the physical world, but also in the spiritual one, as well. Don't let your spirit dry up. Don't block off God's advances to your heart. Be sensitive to what He wants to teach you today. Prepare the way for Him in your life, so that His glory can be revealed.
Isaiah 40:3-5
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.
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.”
No comments:
Post a Comment