01/07/2008
John 1:19 - 23 (HCSB)
19This is John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”
20He did not refuse to answer, but he declared: “I am not the Messiah.”
21“What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?”
“I am not,” he said.
“Are you the Prophet?”
“No,” he answered.
22“Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?” 23He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord—just as Isaiah the prophet said.”
John the Baptist was an odd character for his day. In fact, if he were to live among us today, he would be declared a religious freak: a weirdo. We are told that he wore animal skins and ate locusts and honey. Yet he declared a very simple message: “The Messiah is coming.”
John the Baptist recalls the words of Isaiah:
Isaiah 40:3 (HCSB)
3A voice of one crying out:
Prepare the way of the LORD in the wilderness;
make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
The image I get here is that the King is walking along and those whose allegiance belongs to Him do whatever they can to make His path easy. They go before Him and level out the ground and remove obstacles. This is done, not out of obligation but out of love and willingness to please their master.
As we begin a new year, examine your own life and heart. The Messiah – The Anointed One – has come. Will you make the path easy for Him into your life? Jesus is not our servant, responding to our needs and requests. Indeed, He cares about our needs, but not as one sent to assist us. He is more than just a friend. He is God almighty and when we truly grasp that idea, we should do everything we can possibly do to please Him.
Let this new year be a new beginning and a new opportunity for you to lay your life before Him in service, allegiance, and gratitude.
Jeff Justus
Cleff Publishing
www.cleffpublishing.com
©2008 Cleff Publishing, all rights reserved.
Terms of Usage: This devotional may be copied or forwarded for personal use without permission, but must include the author, publisher, web link, and copyright notice. Use in another published work must obtain permission first.