Devotion:

Though Christmas is only one day out of the year, we celebrate the Christmas season for almost a month. Most of that time is preparation for the big day. We spend time decorating our homes, buying presents, attending parties, and celebrating Advent. Just like we prepare for Christmas day, God also prepared the way for the Messiah to come to a world that had been waiting for Him.

Zechariah and Elizabeth had faithfully followed the Lord their whole lives. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to have children and were now too old for that to be possible. God, however, is in the business of making the impossible a reality. Besides the miracle of an infertile couple having a child at that age, the angel’s message to Zechariah (and his sudden inability to speak) showed that this child would be very special. Can you imagine the confusion, excitement, and anticipation they felt?

God would use John’s life to prepare people for the coming of the Lord. John called the Israelites to turn away from their sins and turn back to God, preparing their hearts to meet the promised Savior. The song “Joy to the World” says, “Let every heart prepare him room.” John helped people do just that by boldly announcing that the Messiah was coming! God was preparing his people to receive Jesus, the One who would rescue them from their sins and restore their relationship with him. 

During Advent, we get to prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We also look forward to Easter and the new life found in Jesus through his death, burial, and resurrection. For now, we watch and wait for the anticipated arrival of the Savior.