John the Baptist isn’t known for his praying. Yet he prayed. He prayed for many years before he went to the Jordon river. The Bible tells us John’s purpose. He was to prepare the hearts for the people to receive Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. History tells us John was set apart and prepared for his purpose. How do we know that included prayer? Simple, really. John knew and understood God’s plan for his life. John knew his purpose. That couldn’t happen without prayer. The boldness it took for John to speak out, stand in the river wrapped in wet, smelly camel hair, the way he stood against the religious leaders and took on a king, all indicate John the Baptist had an active, ongoing communication with God. John prayed and went. I’d venture to say John prayed as he went. (I’d think to live on a diet of honey and bugs would take divine intervention as well!)
Today, we Christians go in our prayer closets and we pray for God to save people. We pray for God to prepare their hearts to receive Jesus. And we should, we must do that. Our prayers are laying the groundwork. As I was praying that very thing the other day, a question came into my mind. “Prepare their hearts for what? What will they hear? How can they receive? Where are the ones who will go? When will people pray and go?”
John’s prayers alone would not have achieved God’s purpose for his life. God used a human to speak out about Jesus. He still works the same way. People were prepared because John went. John spoke. John’s message? “There comes one after me…”
Are we, beneficiaries of the Christ who John proclaimed, willing to go speak? John’s life would have been easier, quieter, less violent…had John only prayed. But would people have received Jesus if there had been only a silent, praying John? Thankfully, we don’t have to speculate on that. John went. Jesus was known.
Our message is both the same as John’s and different. Our message is Jesus. We are the ones who can and must say, “There came One before me…”
If Jesus is to be known in our culture, we have to pray and go. We have to pray as we go. We have to stand against tradition, take on the religious strongholds, and present Jesus. He is worthy to be proclaimed. The world still needs a Savior. The same One whom John proclaimed still saves.
Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.
The deep darkness Isaiah spoke about is rampant. Our light has come. Arise. And the Lord will arise. And His glory will be seen. When we go.
For His Glory 