John 1:19-28, James 1:12-18, Ecclesiastes 2:1-16, Jeremiah 3-4

Read:
John 1:19-28, James 1:12-18, Ecclesiastes 2:1-16, Jeremiah 3-4

Reflection:
Well, James was about the glory of resisting temptation. Ecclesiastes was about the futility of wealth and wisdom--two things I'm kinda fond of. And Jeremiah 3-4 was a diatribe against Israel and Judah and their whoring ways. Not what you could call positive reading--for me anyway. John provided a little glimmer. John the Baptist was asked "Who are you?" He first responded by claiming who he was not--the Messiah. But they kept asking--"Well, are you the prophet? Are you Elijah? Who are you?"

The Baptist reached back to Isaiah- "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'"

John the Baptist knew who he was and knew who he wasn't. He didn't define himself in terms of those who came before him, but in terms of what was coming after him, what was going to be birthed.

Response:
God---the question posed to the Baptist often echoes in my soul. "Who are you?" Thank you for making me your child--for making that my identity.

It is tempting to settle for being what has already been, to fall back into the comfortable, nostalgic styles of how the gospel was proclaimed and church was done 30, 20, or 10 years ago.

But, I have to always be prepared for how God will be birthed next. John's calling is mine--to make a path for "the Lord." Am I doing that with my family? with my church? with my community?