FWD: Morning Manna (Dec. 18); BP: Lk. 1:11-17; RBTTY: Rev. 9; Obadiah

 
Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:30:38 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Dec. 18); BP: Lk. 1:11-17; RBTTY: Rev. 9; Obadiah
 

December 18                                                                                        “Our Purpose and Our Passion”

 

“And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.  And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

                                                                                                                                               Luke 1:16-17

     If He had one for him, doesn’t it follow that He’d also have one for us?

     John the Baptist was no ordinary, run-of-the-mill kind of guy.  Born in a most miraculous way (vv.11-13), he became the Forerunner of the long-awaited Messiah, fulfilling Malachi’s prophecy some 400 years before (v.17; Mal. 4:5-6).

 

     The fact that he was one of Jesus’ cousins and born to Godly parents, whose bloodlines traced back to King David and Aaron, the first High Priest (v.5), doesn’t mean he was more “special” than us.  It simply shows how the Lord God was behind the curtains of history, orchestrating things as only a Sovereign God can/will do.

 

     Although we know very little of John’s childhood—only that he “grew and waxed strong (Grk. ‘krataioo’—‘to empower, increase in vigor, be strengthened, mighty, powerful, etc.’) in spirit” (Lk. 1:80)—we can rest assured that his Godly parents (v.6) faithfully taught him the Torah, the Law, the psalms and prophets, etc., as any consecrated “child of Abraham” would do.  And, we can also safely conclude they focused on the prophecies of the long-awaited Messiah in light of what Gabriel said the Lord would do with John.

 

     When John went into the wilderness and what he did there we don’t know; however, it’s clear the same God that appeared to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, etc., in the wilderness is the same God that appeared to him.  And, it’s quite evident that he even preached to the nomadic caravans and desert-dwellers until the Lord called him out to the Jordan River (Lk. 1:80; 3:2b; Mk. 1:4).

 

     How long was John in the wilderness?  We don’t know—possibly 10 or 15 years or longer.  But, the fact remains the Lord used that time of “solitary sojourn” to further define and refine him and his message.  And, even though he was quite a sight to behold when he emerged from the desert—looking exactly like how Elijah was to look (Mk. 1:6; II Kings 1:8)—it’s clear he was Spirit-anointed and directed.

 

     Oh, dear Pilgrim, the Scriptures are clear when they tell us that God also has a purpose and plan for our lives (Jer. 29:11; Ps. 139:15-18).  He may not require us to go live in the desert, wearing “camel’s hair with a belt of skin and eating locusts and wild honey” (Mk. 1:6) before He’s ready to use us; but, then again he might.  The question is, “Would I be willing to go if He did?”

 

     The Father’s plan for us in different in its implementation (Rom. 12:4-5; I Cor. 12:1-31), but always the same in its intent (“to turn many hearts to the Lord”).  And, this can only happen when we’re Spirit-filled and Spirit-led.  May we yield to His embrace today—for only then will we truly know His purpose and passion in our lives.