Today’s scripture: Luke 3:1-14 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Steve Adams):
Impressive, isn’t it? Three different groups of people ask “What should we do?” in this passage (the tax collectors, the soldiers, and even “the crowd”). Can we learn something from their example? Oh yes!
I rejoice knowing we’re saved by grace, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). And I think it’s something that many Christians “get.” It’s true and it’s wonderful! But does that mean we’re called to sit around and do nothing? I can almost hear you, discerning reader, saying “No!” The very next verse in Ephesians probably isn’t as well-known as verses 8 and 9, but it tells us we are created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. How cool is that?
So, in addition to John the Baptist preparing the way for the Lord, God has prepared the way for our good works. Hmmmm. . . seems like preparation is the key theme for today! John boldly previewed the Lord, analogously making every mountain low and every valley level. He proclaimed Jesus’ purposes, telling the people they needed to change their thinking, become aware of their sins, and ask for forgiveness from God.
John must have sensed the Messiah would introduce them to a new and higher way of thinking — a spirituality so different from what they’d immersed themselves in and identified with all their lives, that pride could easily cause them to reject it as heresy. Mountains of pride had to be leveled off, and humility had to fill in the valleys if they were ever going to make Jesus their Lord. As I always remember Billy Graham saying in his crusades, that repentance means turning around. I think of it like you’re motoring along in one direction, but then you say to yourself, “I’m going the right way, aren’t I? Yeah, I know what I’m doing! Oh, dang it! I AM going the WRONG WAY! OK, I’m gonna turn around!”
Since God goes to the trouble to prepare us to do good works, doesn’t it make sense for us to do a some preparing ourselves? Sooner or later, in small ways and big, God will challenge each one of us with the need to live out a radically different way of life than we’ve ever known before. Maybe we need to:
- Improve how we eat and drink in order to get more nutrition.
- Go on a “mental diet.” Watching TV, movies, and listening to music that gives nutrition to our souls — cutting back on the “junk food.”
- Get some regularly-scheduled physical exercise.
- Commit some positive verses or quotes to memory.
- Cultivate friendships that contribute to my spirituality rather than detract from it.
These are just a few that pop in my mind right now — what ideas come to you?
Thought for the day: “The key is not the ‘will to win’…everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important.” Bobby Knight, the former college basketball coach, captured how essential preparation is when he said this. God prepared the way for Jesus through John the Baptist. Aspiring Olympians train for years, with no guarantee of success. Disciples need to train too. It sometimes involves sacrifice, pain, even drudgery. But if your disciplined preparation is for God’s purpose and plan for your life — then it is glorious, it is precious, it is transcendent!
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.