A Voice in the Wilderness

“Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.” — Matthew 3:3

Many years went by. Jesus grew up in Nazareth, and His relative John grew up in the wilderness. And when John was a man, God gave him his job to do.

John began preaching out in the desert near the River Jordan. He looked like one of the old prophets. He wore rough clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

“Repent,” John told the people, “for the kingdom of heaven is near!” To repent means to turn around: to stop doing wrong and turn back to God.

And people came to hear him, crowds and crowds of them, from Jerusalem and from all over the countryside. They told God they were sorry for their sins, and John baptised them in the River Jordan. That means he dipped them in the water, as a sign that they were turning away from their sins and wanted God to wash them clean.

The crowds asked John, “What should we do?”

“If you have two coats,” said John, “share with someone who has none. And if you have food, share that too.”

Tax collectors came to be baptised. Tax collectors were often greedy, and took more money than they should. “Teacher, what should we do?” they asked.

“Don’t take any more money than you’re supposed to,” John told them.

Some soldiers asked, “And what about us? What should we do?”

“Don’t bully people or tell lies about them to get their money,” said John. “Be happy with your pay.”

Some people began to wonder whether John might be the promised Christ. But John told them, “I baptise you with water. But someone is coming who is much greater than I am. I’m not even good enough to carry His sandals! He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

John knew exactly what his job was. He wasn’t the King. He was getting everyone ready for the King. Like a messenger who runs ahead shouting, “The King is coming! Get ready!”

The promise kept: Matthew tells us that John was the one Isaiah had spoken about seven hundred years before: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him’” (Matthew 3:3).

Read it in your Bible: Matthew 3:1–12; Luke 3:7–18

Dear God, I am sorry for the wrong things I have done. Please help me to turn away from them and turn to you. Help me to share what I have, like John said. Amen.