“A voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” —Matthew 3:3 ESV
We invited an unexpected guest into our home a few weeks before Christmas one year. The moment we realized she was coming to stay, we scrambled to clear the clutter from our spare room so we could set up a makeshift bed on the floor. Our last-minute accommodations seemed an inadequate expression of our heartfelt welcome. Would she know her presence was a joy to us, despite our lack of preparation? A familiar refrain played in my head as I smoothed the wrinkled sheets:
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let Earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room…”
In the ancient world, cities prepared for a king’s arrival by building a level, straight path or road for him. As the king approached the city, a herald would announce the king’s arrival.
Centuries before Christ’s birth, God promised to send a messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah, their Deliverer and King (Malachi 3:1). Jesus’ cousin John fulfilled this prophecy. Instead of organizing a road construction crew, he prepared the hearts of God’s people by calling them to repent of their sins and live a life of holiness in surrender to Jesus Christ.
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, but we still anticipate His second coming, when He will finally make all things new and usher in His eternal kingdom, where His people will dwell with Him in peace (Revelation 21:5; 22:12–14).
As we wait, God calls us to prepare for Christ’s return. We naturally feel ill-prepared, knowing our hearts are cluttered with things that have no place in God’s kingdom. We may try to make up for our sins through good works or by “cleaning up our act,” but any attempt to ready ourselves by sheer willpower will fail.
Only Jesus Christ can prepare us for His return. When we repent of (turn away from) our sins and receive His grace and forgiveness, He cleanses our hearts of sinful clutter and adorns us in His righteousness. As we respond to His love through faithful service and heartfelt worship, He transforms us from the inside out—a new creation that reflects His glory (Psalm 34:5).
So, Christmas is also a time of preparation. Are you ready for His arrival? As we decorate the house, wrap gifts, and prepare festive foods to get ready for the holiday, let’s remember to prepare our hearts for the return of Jesus Christ.
Christmas celebrates the King who is coming again, reminding us to prepare our hearts for His return.
Additional Scripture:
Matthew 3:1–12
Matthew 25:1–13
Titus 2:11–14
