“The word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness; and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” (Luke 3:1).
I have recently been following the new about Prince William Of England and his younger brother Prince Harry. I am about the same age as these two men and I have spent my lifetime watching them in the press. I was deeply moved when their mother passed away (may God rest her soul) and deeply saddened when it was revealed that their father treated their mother so badly.
When Prince Harry finally married a few years ago, I was very hopeful that he would perhaps live a relatively happy life with his new wife. In the years since, it is clear that there were tensions in the family that resulted in a rift between the two brothers. And I have been thinking about that rift. You see, one of the brothers – the older prince, and heir apparent of the British Throne – would have been treated very differently from his younger brother. He would have been called upon for more official duties. He would have been asked to bear more responsibility. He would have understood that it was his duty to make decisions that would have a positive impact on the British Monarchy as a whole. His younger brother would not have been asked to bear such responsibility. Instead, Harry would have had all the luxury of royal life without very much of the pressure.
And that in itself is problematic.
And so – at the end of the day – Prince Harry left the family fold perhaps in part because he was tired of being considered NEXT…
I love Saint John the Baptist.
He was also NEXT. His only job – the whole reason for his existence was to prepare a way for the LORD…
“The word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness; and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” (Luke 3:1-6).Saint John the Baptist described himself as “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” Not a being, not a person, not a prophet. Just a voice. Just something to listen to. Something through which a message would flow. He was only interested in ensuring that God’s message was made known. He cared nothing for his own person or his own life. His life was a complete sacrifice for God. It did not matter where he went or what he did. The only thing that mattered was that his voice was heard announcing the Messiah.
And understanding how little he made himself to prepare for the Lord, it is pretty clear that Saint John the Baptist embraced his role as the NEXT in line rather than the main event. And I have been reflecting on that today. For such a thing is harder to do than it would at first appear…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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