Advanced Preparation
Time passes. It never stays put. We long for something. We plan for something. And suddenly the time has come, and as soon as it arrives, it passes. And before you know it, you are telling a story about that time that...
Matthew and Luke both use similar language to start their stories of a time that had passed. Matthew starts his story with, "In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness." John the Baptist’s life had a single focus, and he knew it. He had one job to do. On his business card below his name, his title was likely, “Advanced Preparation Director,” and his job description just one phrase: Prepare the way.
We sometimes get all hung up on titles and career paths. What is my calling? What's my mission or purpose in life? As followers of Christ, it might be more simple than we think. Maybe we are in advanced preparation as well. What if with our words, actions, and even our relationships, we were just preparing the way? Not forcing anything on anyone, just plowing the ground and planting some seed.
Luke says, "In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John the Baptist." In that moment all of John's life purpose was fulfilled. John had done his job, fulfilled his purpose, and confirmed Jesus as both the One and the Way.
Sometimes in our careers, and even in our families, we get mixed up with our mission. And if we are not careful, we might send a message that somehow what we are doing is about us. We might slip into behaviors where we put our work and ourselves as the most important or the end game. We might even find ourselves enjoying the spotlight a little too much and forget that as followers of Christ we aren't preparing the way for people to follow us but rather preparing the way for others to see Jesus. Honestly, I can't do much to help solve someone's problems or to relieve their burden. But Jesus can. He can forgive sin, heal brokenness, heal diseases, give life meaning and purpose, fill you with love, and become your salvation.
It was about six weeks after Jesus’ baptism that he started calling people whom John the Baptist had prepared. And the response of his early followers was "and immediately they left their nets and followed him."
When we do our prep work for Jesus and the soil is prepared, people see Jesus and respond to his presence and his love. There is a lot of stuff we both need to get done today. Our calendars are likely filled already. But maybe we should put a little note at the top of our calendars today. Maybe we simply put a banner at the top of every day on our calendars from now on with two simple messages: 1) Prepare the way, and 2) Immediately follow Jesus.
Father, we ask that today you transform our hearts and minds so that our lives would prepare the soil for someone to see you and follow you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Matthew 3:1-3, 11 ESV
Photo by Pexels
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