Matthew 3:1-6: a reflection

1In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” 3For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!” 4Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. 6They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

John the Baptist comes preaching in the wilderness with a message of repentance, calling people to prepare the way of the Lord, and they come to him confessing their sins. Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, John preaches; for this is he of whom Isaiah spoke, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord. And people came to him, confessing their sins and being baptized. John's ministry was one of preparation: to make ready the way for the Lord who was coming, and the way he called people to prepare was through repentance, turning from sin, confessing it. Repentance is how the way is prepared for the Lord in our hearts. This shows that repentance prepares the way for the Lord in our hearts. Repentance prepares the way for the Lord. John called people to prepare the Lord's way through repentance. The way for the Lord is made ready by turning from sin. Prepare for the Lord by repenting and confessing sin.

Notice how John prepared the way for the Lord: by calling people to repentance. His mission was to make ready the way of the Lord who was coming; and the way he did this was to call people to repent, to turn from their sins, and they came confessing their sins and being baptized. Repentance was the preparation. This tells us something about how the way is made ready for the Lord in our own hearts and lives. The Lord comes to us, seeks to enter and reign in our hearts; and the way is prepared for him by repentance, by turning from our sins, confessing them, clearing away what stands in his way. Just as a road is made ready for an important arrival by removing obstacles and straightening the path, so the way for the Lord is made ready in us by repentance, by removing through confession and turning the sins that obstruct him. This is not a one-time thing but an ongoing reality: we continually prepare the way for the Lord in our hearts by repentance, turning from sin, confessing it, clearing the way for him to come and reign more fully. We do well to prepare the way for the Lord by repentance, turning from and confessing our sins, that he may find a ready way in us. Prepare the way for the Lord in your heart by repentance. Turn from and confess your sins, clearing the way for the Lord. Repentance removes the obstacles that stand in the Lord's way. Continually make ready the Lord's way in you by turning from sin.

That is worth taking to heart, for repentance prepares the way for the Lord in our hearts, as John called people to prepare the Lord's way by repenting and confessing their sins. We can want the Lord to come and reign in us while leaving the way obstructed by unrepented sin; but John made ready the way of the Lord by calling people to repentance, and they came confessing their sins. Repentance clears the way. Prepare the way for the Lord in your heart by repentance, turning from and confessing your sins, that he may find a ready way in you. Prepare the way for the Lord in your heart by repentance, turning from and confessing your sins so that he may find a ready way in you, as John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness a message of repentance, calling people to prepare the way of the Lord, and they came to him confessing their sins and being baptized; for John's ministry was one of preparation, to make ready the way for the Lord who was coming, and the way he called people to prepare was through repentance, turning from sin and confessing it, which tells us how the way is made ready for the Lord in our own hearts, since the Lord comes to us and seeks to enter and reign in our hearts, and the way is prepared for him by repentance, by turning from our sins, confessing them, and clearing away what stands in his way, just as a road is made ready for an important arrival by removing obstacles and straightening the path, so that the way for the Lord is made ready in us by repentance removing through confession and turning the sins that obstruct him, which is not a one-time thing but an ongoing reality of continually preparing the way for the Lord in our hearts by repentance, so that we do well to prepare his way by turning from and confessing our sins, that he may find a ready way in us.

Lord, John the Baptist comes preaching in the wilderness with a message of repentance, calling people to prepare the way of the Lord, and they come to him confessing their sins. Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, John preaches; for this is he of whom Isaiah spoke, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord. And people came to him, confessing their sins and being baptized. John's ministry was one of preparation: to make ready the way for you, the Lord who was coming, and the way he called people to prepare was through repentance, turning from sin, confessing it. Repentance is how the way is prepared for you in my heart. Show me how John prepared the way for you: by calling people to repentance. His mission was to make ready your way; and the way he did this was to call people to repent, and they came confessing their sins. Repentance was the preparation. This tells me how the way is made ready for you in my own heart and life. You come to me, seeking to enter and reign in my heart; and the way is prepared for you by repentance, by turning from my sins, confessing them, clearing away what stands in your way. Just as a road is made ready for an important arrival by removing obstacles, so the way for you is made ready in me by repentance, removing through confession the sins that obstruct you. This is not a one-time thing but an ongoing reality: I continually prepare the way for you by repentance, turning from sin, clearing the way for you to reign more fully. Take that to my heart, for repentance prepares the way for you in my heart. Keep me from wanting you to come and reign in me while leaving the way obstructed by unrepented sin; help me prepare your way, Lord, by turning from and confessing my sins, that you may find a ready way in me and come to reign more fully in my heart.