May 26
Preparation through separation
So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel. Luke 1:80 (NKJV)
John the Baptist is as one-of-a-kind as you can possibly get. From his miraculous birth, to his wild appearance, to his unprecedented calling as Christ’s forerunner…everything about the man is strikingly unique. Yet there’s something we see in his life that we can relate to (although on a somewhat smaller scale).
As we see in the verse above, John lived in the deserts until the time came for him to fulfill his mission to announce Israel’s Messiah. Deserts, as the word would suggest, are deserted places. They’re not congested or crowded with a lot of people. They’re the ideal setting for a person to be alone, and for the great majority of John’s life, he was alone with God.
Why was John’s life spent this way? Because it was necessary preparation for him to fulfill his calling. He would have to stand up against Herod and the Pharisees, people who the average man would kowtow to. John needed a supernatural resolve to serve God in spite of what any man thought, and that resolve was established in his heart during his years alone with the Lord in the desert.
Don’t misunderstand: John’s calling was unique—and so was the lifestyle God called him to. But the essential principle we see here is applicable to us. The Lord will put us in a place where it’s just Him and us—because it’s preparation for what He wants to do with our lives.
He knows what lies ahead, and he knows that we’re going to need the kind of resolve that comes from being alone with Him. So He takes us through a season of separation for the sake of preparation. And once our hearts are prepared, our lives will be powerfully used.
Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
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