Wednesday December 9, 2020

Today’s Reading: John 3:22-30

You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of Him.’

John 3:28

Reflection: He must increase and we must decrease. In order that Jesus is held in the highest priority in our lives, we must be willing to set aside our own selves and priorities. This is the very thing that John the Baptist does in His own ministry for Jesus’ sake. After his encounter with Jesus, John learns from his disciples that people are beginning to flock to Jesus to be baptized by Him instead of by John. While John’s disciples are concerned that people are following Jesus instead of John, John the Baptist understands that his ministry must give way to Jesus’ ministry. He recognizes that in order for his ministry to be complete, it must ultimately give way to what Jesus is doing. “[Jesus] must increase,” says John, “but I must decrease.”

In order to commit fully to the work of God, we cannot uphold both ourselves and our Lord in the same regard. We must be willing to choose the latter over all things. Sometimes doing God’s Work involves doing something for God. But oftentimes it requires that we watch and make way for what God is wanting to do. Just as John the Baptist understood, ministry for God is not about what we can or want to do for God, but is about what God is doing.

Reflection Questions:

-What is an instance when God used you to do His Work in the world? What did this require of you?

-What is an instance when you had to get out of God’s way in order for Him to do His Will? What did this require of you?

-How would you describe to someone what it meant when John the Baptist said of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease?”

Prayer: Father, the works of human hands cannot compare to the great things that You have accomplished. Only You do truly wonderful things. Thank You for the ways that You work all situations together for the good of those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. Thank You especially for all that You’ve done through Your Son Jesus Christ. Please teach me discernment Lord, grant me wisdom to understand when it is that You are calling me to serve and when You are calling me to get out of Your Way. Help me above all to trust in Your Will over my own and to prioritize You. I pray these things in Jesus’ Name, AMEN.

Thru the Bible in a year (credit: Biblestudytools.com): John 3:22-36; 1 Chronicles 13-14; Zechariah3