R³ Devotional - Day 277

“Behold, the voice of one crying in the wilderness! In these 3 chapters, we find some history on John the Baptist,  his encounter and baptism of Jesus, and some of the early works of Jesus after His temptation. One of my favorite  Christmas stories is when Mary visits Elizabeth and John LEAPS in the womb of Mary, and preparing this devotional made me immediately think of the story. We find the recollection of three witnesses in Jesus coming to  John to be baptized, and the reverence that John showed Jesus in this moment is something that he has carried since before he was born. I couldn’t help but find myself questioning whether I had that kind of reverence and respect for the One who came and died for me, was resurrected defeating sin and death, and ascended to Heaven where He waits for God to say, “go and gather your Bride”!

I recall someone explaining the Bible to me in this manner, and it really hit home as well as I read these chapters…  “The Bible is all about Jesus: the Old Testament tells of His coming (and why we need Him), the four Gospels tell  us that He came and what He did for us, the remainder of the New Testament is about preparing for His  return.”  

John the Baptist was a part of that story, even in the Old Testament, and got to do his part as Jesus walked with us here on earth…faithfully, even to death!

Real Life Principles: How do we really “follow” Jesus? Is he just someone you know and respect for dying for your sins (and all others)? Friends, we shouldn’t just walk around knowing Him. We need to be walking around as  John did, proclaiming the Truth in Him. We can’t just live in a cycle of going to church “religiously” and then walking out the doors, waiting to experience and talk about Him when we return to that building. Even if we are shy and do not feel called to shout His name from the rooftops, our daily walks, how we talk, and how we act all speak of Him and His truth. What can you (and I) do better on a daily basis to shine His light and love to others?

Relevant Life Applications: Get out of the mindset of “church stuff” and “life stuff”! Each and every day…pray,  study, and shine His light and love in all that you do. If we walk around proclaiming to know and trust Him but our works don’t show it, what are we really telling others about Him? We have to remember, even with those attending church regularly, that they may be just looking for a reason to give up on Him…to walk out the doors and never return! That is a sad reality, and when we are not nurturing our relationship with Him daily, we are setting ourselves up to not be very good witnesses to Him. John carried his reverence, love, and respect for Jesus from the womb to the grave. He’s a good example for us!

Being Ready with Life Action Steps: Set your heart right daily…don’t let the hustle and bustle of the world get in the way of your walk with Him. He did something no other would do for you and has given us an opportunity to share eternity with Him…show the love, trust, and respect that He deserves. We should all start our day in prayer and study…make the time. When times of stress hit, turn right to Him, don’t shoulder it alone. When He gives you a triumph, victory, or blessing…be thankful and tell the world about it! In my mind, there is a difference between  “believing in Him” and “Trusting in Him”. Figure out where you fall, and continually work to grow your faith walk with Him each and every day!