And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”That was John the Baptist's calling, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. This was a moment to reclaim the place that Israel held by virtue of God's covenant with Abraham. But, this is not about exclusivity. God promised Abraham that all nations, all people, all of humanity would be blessed through his offspring. Israel was prepared for the Lord, but John was called to make them ready to do what God called them to do, to embrace the Messiah, to spread the good news, to tell the nations that there was a way to be reconciled to God where there wasn't before. This isn't about God choosing Israel to enter eternity and everyone else is screwed. This is about how God chose Israel to be his messenger, to be his ambassador, to be his herald, to the his agent of love, hope and restoration in a world full of people disconnected from his salvation.
Now, that's us. We are the children of God. We've been adopted into the family, grafted into the root. We are now God's chosen instrument of grace, peace and love. God, I want to be ready. You chose me. You prepared me. Now make me ready to spread your good news everywhere I go. Help me to use words if I have to. Let my life itself be an offering, a sacrifice to you.
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