Back to the Blogosphere!

It has been almost three years since my last post on this blog but I thought it about time that I begin pouring out my heart and thoughts for the glory of God.

God has been doing some amazing things in my life over the past few weeks. I can't really begin to get into all the details for that would be boring and take up too much time for those who would choose to read this blog. However, as I reflect on the past few weeks I can sum up what is deep within my heart and soul...that something that burns deep within you and can't remain silent...I want to be so in love and filled with the presence of God in the Holy Spirit that my life looks absolutely insane to the rest of the world!

I have always been a reader and have come to grips with my "geekdom" as I like to call it. But recently it's as though I have been reading a new book almost every week. Part of my reading has been the Bible but I have found that it is easy to find myself reading other books other than scripture. However, as obvious as this may be, when desiring to not only believe but to live out the Kingdom of God, it is necessary to read the Gospels. Now that all of you have been absolutely blown away by such truth (note my sarcasm)...today I decided to sit and begin reading through the Gospels again. Recently I started reading more sections of John and so I decided to begin with the Gospel of John.

Becoming More Like John the Baptizer

Today as I was reading the Gospel of John I was challenged by the picture of John the Baptizer (Baptist). There's just something about the character and nature of John that struck deep into my soul. For some of us we know that John was the cousin of the Jesus of Nazareth. We may know some of the characteristics of John the Baptist that made him look quite crazy and insane to...camel hair clothing, while eating wild honey and bugs (Bear Grills isn't the only one!). Although I have visions at times of looking that crazy for the sake of God there is something more that stuck out to me about John - it truly was all about Jesus and not about him!

John 1:6-8 says: "There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was NOT the light; he came only as a witness to the light." (NIV, emphasis mine)

Although I fully believe as Jesus preached in his "Sermon on the Mount" that we are to be "salt and light", I also fully believe that in John we see that it is not about us being the source of light ourselves. Rather, we are to point to the source of all light and His name is Jesus (John 1:4). A crude metaphor may be a flashlight and realizing that we are not the batteries or the bulb that produces the light. No, instead we are the metal casing, that without the infilling of the power and the source would be nothing but scrap. It is only when we are filled with the power and presence of the true light that our fragile, finite human selves can be that which God intended - to be salt and light; witnesses to the amazing work of God in Jesus Christ!

When approached by Jewish leaders, John was asked outright whether he was the Messiah and freely confessed he was NOT (John 1:20). It is a common conversation, I have found among pastors and Christian leaders, concerning a kind of "Savior" complex. A complex in which the pastor or Christian leader feels some temptation or unreasonable expectation to be the savior of their people and the problems of the world. I believe we should take much more of the position of John the Baptist who said of himself: "I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness. 'Make straight the way for the Lord'" (John 1:23).

Allow me to clarify. I do not believe that our job is to open our mouths wide about the Gospel and Good News of Jesus Christ; the power of redemption and salvation by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus - and simply leave it at words. Instead I truly believe that it is our only truly faithful response to the work of Jesus and His teachings to be about bringing the Kingdom of God here and now...to this earth at this time. However, simultaneously, it must be the point of our lives and words to point to the true Savior and the true Messiah; the true Light and His name is Jesus.

Are we supposed to proclaim the Gospel through words or actions? The answer is...YES! It's not either/or - it is both/and.

My prayer is that as I desire to draw nearer and nearer to Jesus Christ and be more and more transformed into the image of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit, that I would always remember that I am not the source of the light but rather have the opportunity to point others to the true source of that light - Jesus.

May we have the attitude and heart of John the Baptizer pointing to Jesus proclaiming Him as Savior and Messiah with the dawning of the Kingdom of God here, now and in the life to come!