Saturday 21 September, 2019

15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with[a] water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them. 19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

I find myself challenged by the single mindedness of John. No matter what people thought about him, good or bad, he stayed on mission. I wonder if he was ever tempted by the crowds?  The crowds loved him. They even thought that he could have been the Messiah that they were expecting to come.

Surely, he could have stayed on mission but enjoy a more comfortable lifestyle? No one would have questioned him or thought less of him. I mean, was it really that important to keep his Nazarene vow? Maybe not to the crowd, but it meant everything to John.

This is the path that God had set for him, and I imagine that never once did he consider anything else. For John, he chose complete obedience to God. Even though this obedience put him in jail, and eventually claimed his life, he didn’t waiver.

It’s easy to get distracted by life and all the ups and downs and not focus on the mission and plan that God has for us.

Father I thank you that you have a plan and purpose for each of us, and a mission to serve you with. Help me today to not be distracted but to stay on mission for you.

Written by Andrew Martin