Upper Loft Meditation - Luke 1

“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.” - Luke 1:17

In the plan of God, a man is selected to prepare the way for Jesus to lead people back to God. Notice that this will be done “in the spirit and power of Elijah.” John spoke with great authority, a call to repentance, and a challenge to be prepared. “Are you ready?”

How were people to prepare? The action that will prepare the way for God is the turning of the heart. It involves emotional allegiance, intellectual honesty, a need for a clear conscience, and a spirit receptive to the love of God. This leads to repentance.

The primary focus will be to turn “the hearts of the fathers to their children” and the hearts of “the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous.” The act of repentance is nurtured and grows in the soil of relationships made right. There must be both forgiveness and restoration.

As a father’s heart turns from himself to his children, so we must turn our hearts to God. We must seek God’s grace to nurture the fruit of repentance. A key part of the growth of this fruit is the renewal of our minds. Why? “Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2b

Today, are you ready for what God has for you?