CS Lewis: Clear The Road

Intro:

"One road leads to home and a thousand roads lead into the wilderness."

CS Lewis

There is something about this quote that grips me. Maybe it is because of the time I have spent in the wilderness. Maybe it is because of the darkness I was saved out of in college. Maybe it is because home means I have value and belong somewhere.

By God's grace, many men and women were used in my life to clear the road so I could get home!

Read: Luke 3:3-6
3 Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.

4 Isaiah had spoken of John when he said,
“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
Clear the road for him!

5 The valleys will be filled,
and the mountains and hills made level.
The curves will be straightened,
and the rough places made smooth.

6 And then all people will see
the salvation sent from God.’”

Think:
God sent someone to clear the road so those in the wilderness could see home.

The wilderness is often a dark and isolated place. It is easy to get lost in the wilderness.

I got lost in the California wilderness. We had climbed to the peak of Mt. Whitney, the highest point in CA at 14,494 ft (see picture). It was awesome! However, when we started our descent into the wilderness I got anxious. It was 9pm, the sun was fleeing to its next assignment and we had no flashlights. All I saw were trees.

We were lost in the wilderness.

Talk about going from the peak to the valley! When you are lost in the wilderness every snapped twig becomes a bear or something worse. It was scary.

God saw that the people were walking in darkness and were lost in the wilderness so He sent in a team to clear the road home. Both John and Jesus went into the wilderness to point the lost people home.

The imagery from Isaiah is that the valleys would be filled as the mountains are lowered to create a clear plain from which the viewer could see God (v.5). John was sent to clear the road so the people could see Jesus and live!

Do:
You have a similar ministry in the lives of those around you. Many are lost in the darkness of the wilderness. They need to be shown the way home. They need us to clear the road. We do this by:
1. praying for them
2. sharing the Scriptures with them
3. loving them
4. inviting them home

Do you have someone in your life that needs to find Home? Do you know someone that you can clear the road for?

Sometimes the best way to let people see Jesus is to get on our knees. Commit to praying for an opportunity to show your friends and family the way Home. Let's clear the road.

DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.