December 21, 2021 “Christmas Parade”

I have been thinking about what it really means to "prepare ye the way of the Lord". I am doing a lot of preparing these days - shopping, wrapping, planning, cooking, etc. They keep me busy but these jobs are something concrete I can do to get ready for our family Christmas celebration. But what do I do to "prepare for the Lord?" How do I make straight the paths for his coming? Obviously, Mark is not talking about a literal road. So how do I make my heart ready for Jesus? What is in the pathways to my heart that I need to straighten out first?

I pray, I read, I discuss, I think, I try to give, to be loving. But I don't know, somehow my heart doesn't feel ready. It would be nice if I had a prescription. I know I am "ensnared" to some degree by these other preparations, but I don't think that's everything that's wrong. I would like to "will" this state of readiness, but I don't think it happens that way. But how?