God comes to us gradually, like the rising of the tide. When Jesus returns, his coming will be sudden for many people; unexpected like the breaking in of a thief (1 Thessalonians 5:3-4). But not so for those who are ready. When Malachi predicted the coming of Jesus he assured the people that he would be preceded by a messenger who would “prepare the way” so that the people would “stand when he appears” (Malachi 3:1-5). So the book of Luke begins with the birth of the prophet who would prepare the way for the Messiah. What’s the point? The point is that Jesus didn’t come suddenly; out of the blue. There was lots of divine activity preparing the way, including John the Baptist who would call the people to repentance, lest they find themselves resistant to God when he came. Do you want God to come to you? Perhaps you are looking for a great sudden experience in which you find yourself face to face with God. The fact is that you couldn’t handle that. God comes to us gradually like the rising of the tide as we yield more and more of our lives to him. You may not notice the tide rising but you notice the difference between high tide and low tide. The experiences and encounters we might have now and again are like the crashing waves that anticipate the coming tide. The waves crash on you and then they recede, and you wonder why God comes and goes. But this is all part of the tide rising. So wait patiently in the path of the tide and remain faithful. Keep yourself in God’s presence. The tide will rise.
Reflect on what God is saying and doing in your life right now.
Read Luke 1:1-25
