By Will Heydel
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:57-80, John 1:19-23
Merry Christmas Eve, friends. The way has been prepared. The Messiah has come and will come again.
I’ll never forget the first time I took an Enneagram test. When people talk about personality tests or assessments, I often hear them say, “I don’t want to be labeled or put in a box.” For me, the Enneagram is more about understanding my motivations, convictions, and passions that I hold deeply as an image bearer of God. If you’re familiar with the Enneagram, I most relate to the core style of a six (6). What is it about a six on the Enneagram that resonates with me? Preparation.
In a positive sense, you can prepare for a crucial moment or change in your life, get something ready for others to enjoy, or prepare to take on a role you’ve been trusted with. In a negative sense, you might always be getting ready for the worst-case scenario, overwhelmed by anxiety and fear of what “could” happen or what others “might” think. I like feeling prepared and often think ahead. It can be a strength, but it can also make me fearful or anxious.
For John the Baptist, preparation was his purpose. His birth was no ordinary event—it was a pivotal moment in God’s unfolding story of redemption. What made John’s birth so significant? His purpose. He was born to prepare the way for the Lord. Zechariah, John’s father, was struck mute after doubting God’s message through the angel, Gabriel. But at John’s naming ceremony, when he confirmed the name “John” in obedience to God’s instruction, his tongue was loosened. His first words were a Spirit-filled prophecy, praising God for the coming salvation and declaring his son’s role: “And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways” (Luke 1:76).
John’s entire identity and mission were wrapped in this calling. As he grew up, he lived a life of simplicity, conviction, and devotion to his purpose. He pointed people to Jesus and called for repentance, and God used him to prepare people’s hearts to receive the Messiah. To John, preparation was sacred work. And this “preparing the way” had to happen before Jesus’s public ministry. Just as John prepared the way for Jesus’s first coming, we, too, are called to prepare and make room in our hearts for the Spirit to do greater works in and through us.
Take time this week to reflect on how God might be calling you to prepare and make room for His work in your heart and in the hearts of others. This could involve reading His Word to renew your mind, gathering with other believers for prayer, or simply being still in God’s presence to listen to Him. When we consider preparing the way for God to act, we are often tempted to believe that His redemptive work depends solely on what we do to make it happen. However, God doesn’t need us to do His work. Instead, He invites us, as co-laborers, to participate in the work He has already begun and will continue until the second coming of Christ Jesus. He did this with John the Baptist; He can do it with you, and He can do it with me.
Written by Will Heydel
Post Comments (0)