Road Construction Ahead

A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. - Isaiah 40:3 (NIV)

When I was a kid, Indiana built State Road 37 through Bloomington. Sometimes, as we played outside, we would hear a distant BOOM and a tremor. The road crew needed to blast through the limestone to level the hills to produce the most direct route from north to south. If you have ever witnessed new road construction, you know this is a monumental effort. It involves a lot of manual effort, machinery, concrete, and tarmac, and the project may take years to complete.

In today’s verse, Isaiah’s prophecy of the voice calling in the wilderness was some 700 years before the arrival of the messenger, John the Baptist. John’s message of the need for repentance and baptism began the construction for He who would follow. John wasn’t responsible for the entire highway construction but was an essential component. Upon Jesus’ arrival, more construction was completed. Jesus extended the highway and, through his sacrificial death, built the bridge between Heaven and Earth.

However, the highway isn’t yet complete. Jesus did the essential work for the Father’s plan to be continued. When He departed, returning to the Father, He sent the Holy Spirit to supervise the remainder of the construction, which would be done by those who believe in Him. The early road crew had twelve followers, but others would soon follow. The obstacles they would encounter at times seemed overwhelming. Still, the Supervisor, the Holy Spirit, was always there to interpret the highway plans, helping to bring about the Master Planner's will of heaven on earth.

The highway construction continues. Only God, the Chief Engineer, knows when it will be completed. Our job as disciples is to be faithful members of the road crew, extending the highway a little more each day and always consulting with the Supervisor to ensure it follows the Master Plan.

Heavenly Father, Master Planner, and Chief Engineer thank You for guiding us as we continue the construction of Your divine highway. Just as Isaiah proclaimed the call and John the Baptist prepared the way, help us remain faithful and diligent workers, continually seeking Your guidance and the Holy Spirit's direction. May we, like Jesus, extend Your love and truth in all we do, paving the way for Your kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Strengthen us to overcome the obstacles we encounter, and keep us steadfast in our commitment to Your Master Plan. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Blessings,

Pastor Tim