Jesus Followed John, His Herald (Monday, Week 2 of Advent 2011)

What Did Jesus Do?

“He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,
and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah.”
Luke 1:16-17

Have you ever met someone who knew, even as a young child, what they would grow up to be? Perhaps you may even be one of those favored few who had a precocious perception of your life’s work. But, if we are going to talk about precocity with respect to one’s vocation, no one can top John the Baptist. John started his labors before his mother Elizabeth ever went in to labor! You see, John was the one chosen to go before the Lord, he messenger who would prepare the way for the coming king. For, of course, kings and queens never go about unannounced, there’s always someone who goes ahead crying out, “The king is coming! Prepare yourselves; make way for the king!” So, when Jesus arrived, he followed John, his Herald.

Now, the first person John prepared to receive the King was his own mother, Elizabeth. For John, quickened by the Spirit, started leaping about for joy in Elizabeth’s womb when he sensed the approach of Jesus, who was himself yet in the womb of Mary. (Luke 1.44) As noted above, John wasted no time in taking up his life’s work!

Some of us might envy John, especially those of us who spend years searching about for our calling. But, the truth is, whatever our vocation, each one of us can take up John’s work, and there’s no need for us to wait. You see, there are yet many who have not encountered Christ. There are dozens, if not hundreds, likely even thousands, of people all around us, who have never met Jesus. But we can be certain that the Father still desires that many would come to know the Son as their Lord and Savior. There’s still a need for heralds to go about calling people to prepare to receive the King. For the throne our King would ascend is the heart.

Evangelist Luis Palau has said that it is always necessary for us to talk with God concerning our neighbor before we go and talk with our neighbor about God. In other words, we need to pray about, and for, those whose hearts the Father would use us to turn in order to prepare a way for the Son, because Jesus still follows those who are his heralds. Advent is a great time for the Lord’s heralds to be busy. Over the next three weeks ask God whose heart he would have you prepare to receive Jesus. Just imagine how the herald angels will sing out on Christmas day, over those who turn to the Lord their God!

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4