Third Sunday of Advent — Isaiah 35:1-10
“An Exclusive Highway of Holiness”

“And a great road will go through that once deserted land.  It will be named the Highway of Holiness.  Evil-minded people will never travel on it.  It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there.  Lions will not lurk along its course, nor any other ferocious beast.  There will be no other dangers.  Only the redeemed will walk on it.” (Isaiah 35:8-9, NLT)

In our nation today it has become politically incorrect and extremely unpopular to exclude anything or anyone from (you name it). A lot of people would probably like to ban this passage of Scripture from the Bible, because it is very specifically exclusive.  The list of the excluded are: Evil-minded people, fools, lions, ferocious beasts, and dangers. Those allowed to travel this Highway of Holiness is also very specific: Only those who walk in God’s ways; only the redeemed; and those who have been ransomed by the Lord.

However, notice that this has nothing to do with the color of your skin or nationality or whether you are rich or poor, important or unimportant. Nor earning some kind of self merit. This Highway of Holiness and all its wonderful benefits is for everyone who allows themselves to be ransomed and redeemed by the Lord and walk in God’s ways. God’s ways are according to His written Word; not something we make up and create to meet our own desires.

By the way; ransomed and redeemed by God means we had to let God do something for us, in order for us to be worthy, to travel this holiness highway.

Please Lord, come and ransom and redeem me. Teach me your ways from your written Word; that I may be fit to travel your Highway and not be excluded.

– Pastor Stephen C. Floyd, First Church of the Nazarene, Falls City