"to make ready for the Lord a people prepared." ( Luke 1:17 )
These words were spoken about John the Baptist before he was born, or conceived I should say, by the angel Gabriel to John's father, the priest Zechariah.
His purpose from the Lord would be to "make ready for the Lord a people prepared."
"Prepared" by definition means something planned in advance.
"Make ready" is the act of preparing.
So which is it? Are the people prepared already or do they need to be prepared?
Yes.
It's both.
Already, and not yet.
"as many as were appointed to eternal life believed." ( Acts 13:48 )
"and those with him are called and chosen and faithful." ( Revelation 17:14 )
"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." ( Romans 10:13 )
God in his infinite wisdom, a God who spoke the universe into creation, who then scooped up a handful of dirt and formed a man, then proceeded to take one of his bones and make a woman, is not in any way a big one of us.
We cannot understand his mind or his ways, and yet, he has made us in his image. To reflect such glory.
His wisdom allows the tensions to stick in his revealed word to us. The Trinity. The two natures of Christ. His sovereign choice and man's responsibility. The Holy Spirit doing the entire sanctifying work within his children, and his children working out their own salvation.
We must embrace the mystery of a God who never contradicts himself.
When we rest our souls in the soft feather bed of a sovereign, all-wise, all-powerful, gracious, merciful, good to the marrow God like this, we find a comforting place for our preparation.
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