Wednesday, September 3, 2008
John 1:19-28
Finally, I am done with Luke and on to John. My goal was to read the whole New Testament strait through this year, but I have been meandering instead. God has taken me through different books, in different orders. More glory to Him!I love John! He is so candid, insightful, and pure in his telling of the gospel account. Luke is very orderly, which for a very unorderly person it is great to go on to John. I love his little comments about himself, without drawing any attention to himself. I often wonder about his relationship to the other disciples, as he was so young. He considered himself "the one that Jesus loved". Don't we all want that coveted position? To say of our Savior "I am the one that Jesus loved". I always think of John as an affirmation person (5 Love Languages), and relate to him well.
Here we go....John 1:20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely.John writes about John the Baptist as he was baptizing in the Jordan river, and the priests and Levites came to ask who he was. They wondered if he was the Christ. John's response was one I long to reflect in my life. He knew his purpose in life, knew what he was created to do, knew who it was all about, and humbly and loudly and without fear proclaimed to the world that it was all about Jesus Christ.
Aren't we all called to confess freely first who Jesus is, and secondly what He has done in our lives? Isn't there somewhere, in each Christian, an understanding of what God wants us to be doing? What would the world look like if each Christian was walking so in tune with God, and were so obedient in His will for their life, that they followed and trusted Him wherever and in whatever they were called? How radical would that be? To go out to the desert, live off locust and honey, wearing camel hair proclaiming the name of the Lord. Out with our desires and pride, onto the true source of joy.
What would it take to give up the luxuries of this world, to be bold enough to proclaim the Creator, and withstand the priests and Levites of our day? Only God. Be Strong! Be Courageous! Go where He is calling!
