Today’s scripture: John 3:22-30 (NRSV) (The Message)
As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.
My thoughts (Tammy Mills):
My family loved the snow a few weeks ago! It was so awesome to get out there and throw snowballs at each other. We also built four of the most amazing snow-people!
But our greatest accomplishment was building a snow fort. Santa had brought the girls some snow brick makers, and we used those to create the most amazing snow fort ever! I had to head back to work in the middle of the snow fort building, and I was blown away by the edifice when I returned home. The girls really put their heart and soul into the building!
That next morning the first words out of my youngest were, “Little Mom, did you like our snow fort?” I assured her it was the greatest thing I had ever seen! All morning we chatted about the incredible snow fort.
The girls went to school and I went to work. As Indiana weather is prone to do, the temperature began to rise while we were gone. When we returned home the tremendous snow fort was in great decline. It was a shadow of its former self. I thought the girls were going cry.
I gave them this big explanation about how the snow had to melt to nourish the earth in order for the flowers to bloom in the spring.
I don’t think they really found any comfort in my explanation, but I do believe that is the essence of what the gospel reading is telling us today. John knew his ministry was going to melt away, but his ministry had prepared the ground to receive the ministry of Jesus.
John seems to have been really well adjusted. Maybe all the locust and honey helped him have a good mental and emotional perspective. John doesn’t see Jesus’ ministry as competition or as diminishing his own ministry. John makes it clear that both he and Jesus have been called to a specific ministry.
Why is it that so often I think when someone else — even one of my friends — succeeds, it diminishes my success? Or is that just me? Today I hear John saying each person has an important ministry and purpose in the kingdom of God.
Thought for the day: It isn’t a competition! We are all on the same team.
Today, let’s join together in prayer: Please continue to pray for Robin and her dog, Abbey. They were in a car accident on Friday afternoon. Robin’s injuries now appear to be more serious than we originally thought. Abbey ran away from the crash location, and hasn’t yet been found. Please pray that Abbey is found very soon, and that she’s now in a safe, warm place.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. Use the item above as a starting point, or consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.