It must have been tough being John. His father and mother were elderly before he was born, and they did not get any younger after his birth. His father was a priest of significant importance, and his mother must have been a lady of repute due to her husband’s position, and also due to the fact that she had a “miracle” son in her old age.
He must have heard something about his cousin
Jesus, or perhaps not. He says he does “not know him.” After all, he may have
still been young when his parents passed away.
Coupled with the fact that Jesus and his parents had gone to Egypt to
escape Herod’s homicidal intentions, only to later move up north to Nazareth,
it can be safely surmised that they did not know much of each other. John must have lived a life of high
expectations, but deprived of many of the things that most children take for
granted-- parents. He must have been
repeatedly told by whoever raised him that he was special and that God had a
special purpose for him. After all, he
was a miracle child!
Some rebel against such heavy
expectations. Not John! Oh no, he took those lofty scenarios and
delved head first into the role God had placed in his heart. When did he first feel the call to
preach? When did he know God has chosen
him to usher in the coming of the Messiah?
He may not have known much about “this man”, but he certainly knew a lot
about The Man! And he knew that he was
born to lay his life down to ensure the Desire of all the Ages would have the
appropriate entrance. God had placed him
in such a place and at such a time. He
would be busy doing what God set before him in the place where God had placed
him, until his mission was through.
There are moments when that thought both enthralls and frightens me at
the same time. Is the time coming soon
when I will be called to lay my life down for my Lord? What will that entail? What will that mean? Will I be ready?
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