Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Pastor’s Column, 11/28/05



Lyndon Korhonen

Good Shepherd Free Lutheran

Cokato

How do you prepare for a king that is coming to your home? I suspect that our minds would immediately begin making a list of all the external preparations that would need to be made. From there they would be transferred to a written list. Those who delegate responsibility would begin making phone calls and others would start vacuuming and scrubbing the floors themselves. We want our home to be as clean as possible for the king’s arrival. Why is that?

There is something in us that makes us want to make a good impression on someone of higher stature than us. Do you think that is a pride thing or do you think it is a God thing? Could it be that it is part of being created in the image of God, the desire to honor those above us? Could it be that our fall into sin causes us to put all the emphasis or preparation for the external? The tile, shelves, red carpet, driveway swept, the Christmas lights all burning brightly and evenly spaced around the tree?

In Advent we prepare for the coming of Jesus, the Son of God. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He wants not each building prepared for His coming, but each heart prepared for his coming. He came as a baby in the manger the first time, but the second time he comes for His people.

So how do we best prepare for our King? The preparations must be in the heart. Spend your daily time with God in His word and let the Holy Spirit convict of wrong attitudes and actions. Ask your wife to forgive you when you speak harshly or your children to forgive you when you discipline in anger. Ask your neighbor to forgive you for plowing too far into his field or the way in which you spread some news that should not have been spread.

“The dust and dirt that need cleaning in preparation for the King’s coming are our sinful attitudes and actions. When we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9

When your preparations for the King’s arrival are all complete, you look forward to His coming. That is the way I pray we can live each day. Come, Lord Jesus, come. We have confessed our sin to you and we are trusting in your shed blood to cleanse every sin. We are watching for you daily.

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