While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2Cor. 4:18.
Comfort, yes, comfort My people,”says your God.“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes the LORD has punished her twice over for all her sins.” Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,“Clear the way through the wilderness for the LORD! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills.Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!” Isaiah 40:1-5
John prepared the way for “the glory of the Lord to be revealed” and quite frankly that preparation looked like a wild man in a wilderness, clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He was eating locusts and wild honey, preaching repentance, baptizing people left and right with water, and declaring that ONE was coming who would baptize with fire. John continues to lift up the name of Jesus and declares that Jesus is mightier than him, that he is not worthy to even stoop down and loose the strap on Jesus’ sandal.
John saw something others did not see and it caused John to seemingly care little to none what others thought of him. John prepared the way of the Lord for “the glory of God being revealed” and nothing about John’s preparation looked in any way desirable in the natural. From the work John did, to the living in the wilderness, to the clothes John wore, or lack of clothes thereof, to the food John ate, none of it looked desirable. But it produced the revealed glory of God, Our Savior Jesus Christ.
What do you see? Do you see what I see? An eternal vision calls us past the temporary and into the supernatural. Often we can be so pulled and drawn by the temporary things of this world, but it’s when we set our sight on the eternal that we experience the supernatural. This is where we see the glory of the Lord revealed. John clearly took no thought for his life when preparing the way of the Lord. John was focused on the eternal. Like John, Jesus is where we set our sight, and In Isaiah 40:1-5 I can see 5 areas where the glory of the Lord can be revealed through our lives.
* Bringing comfort- “Comfort my People”
* Repent and turn from sin.- “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord!”
* Choose whom you will serve- “Make a straight highway through the wasteland for God!”
* Deal with pride, casting down vain imaginations- “Level the mountains and hills...”
* Stand in Faith and do not waver- “Straighten the curves, smooth out rough places.”
Prayer
Jesus I thank you that You came revealing the glory of the Lord, that grace and truth has come through You. I thank you for eyes of faith to focus on the eternal and not on the temporary things of this world. May my focus on the eternal bring me into supernatural encounter with You.. In Your Name Jesus I pray. Amen!
I wanna hear your thoughts - please comment below! What temporary things can you leave behind to focus more eternally?
