Sometimes, in order to understand what is happening in my life, I remind myself that the story of my life is more than the chapter that I’m living at the present. I also find meaning when I think about my life being part of a eternal story written by God Himself. He is both the author and the finisher of my faith and the story of my life.
John the Baptist and Jesus were cousins. The prediction of John’s birth broke the 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testament. When John spoke, hearts and minds were stirred. Everyone who heard him was filled with a sense of anticipation. After he baptized Jesus he said, “He must increase and I must decrease” (John 3:30). However, I don’t think he had any idea about what that would look like.
It wasn’t until after John was arrested that Jesus began His ministry in Galilee. And why was John arrested? It was because he boldly confronted Herod for marrying Herodias, his brother’s wife. He remained in Herod’s prison while Jesus increased in popularity. At the height of Jesus’ ministry John was beheaded by Herod at the request of his step-daughter, who had pleased him by her seductive dance. How can this make sense, and how did Jesus respond? “When Jesus heard about it, He withdrew from there by boat to a remote place to be alone” (Matthew 14:13).
He not only withdrew to be alone for Himself but for His Apostles’ sake as well. He had sent them out on their first missionary journey, and when they returned they were full of excitement at what they had experienced. His popularity was so great that they didn’t even have time to eat. When the soul becomes wrinkled by grief or exhaustion there is a deep longing for solitude. But solitude wasn’t what was waiting for Jesus in that remote place. His ministry had increased, and where He went the crowds followed.
The only way I can make sense of John’s imprisonment and beheading is to see it as a chapter of a larger story than the story of his life. Jesus’ message was that the kingdom of God had come near. To understand this kingdom, you must view life through the lens of eternity. When you see your life through an eternal lens you are able to walk by faith, being sure of what you hope for, and confident about what you do not see. I believe that this was how John lived his life, and this is how I want to live my life as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment