John 1:29-34 (NRSV)
Read John 1:29-34 on biblegateway.com
Verse 29The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! Verse 30This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' Verse 31I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel." Verse 32And John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. Verse 33I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' Verse 34And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God."
Devotion
Here comes the lamb of God.
A few years ago I went to watch my nephew play soccer, or rather participate in a game with his team. The kids were all about six or seven years old. My nephew stood in the middle of the field and cheered every time the ball would come by him. He would say, "There it is! There it is! Get it! Get it!" as he jumped up and down.
Not to make less of who John the Baptist is in the gospels, but it's interesting to me that he was so excited about announcing Jesus, and yet he did not follow Jesus. Granted pretty early on in Jesus' story he was executed and maybe just didn't get the chance. Yet maybe his role was never to follow but to be like the trumpet at the head of a parade for the King. So I wonder about all the other people who saw Jesus—watched Jesus heal, heard Jesus preach and were amazed by the work of Jesus—and, yet did not take part. We don't hear their stories and maybe they talked in quiet whispers about what they had seen and heard. Did they still live the way that Jesus wanted them to live? Do we?
Prayer
Lord, show us how to live the life you have called us into, whether boisterously or quietly, yet always paying attention to your light and reflecting your light in the world. Amen.