The God in whom we believe is “the God of endurance and encouragement.” Have you ever thought about God in those terms? Our sight can become limited by the concerns of the world and our individual lives. We can look to the past and see what is happening in the present, but the future is primarily left to our imaginations. God has a clear vision for the future. It is one where the “wolf shall be a guest of the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.” It is a vision of harmony and gentleness where all will live as one. We can see the complete picture of life in God. We see what we may be, what may come, and who we can become. Preparing the way for the Lord means moving beyond the limitations of ideology, time, space, preference, and self-focused concern so that we can see as God sees. God will give us what we need to endure whatever comes, and the encouragement we need to get where we can be.