Who’s Ready?
Posted by Karah
Pause
Find a quiet place where you can be alone. Begin your time with God in prayer. Ask Him to help you understand His Word.
Scripture tells us that God sent a special prophet, John the Baptist, into the world to prepare His people for the coming Messiah. Learn more about him in Luke 1:2-25, 57-66.
“And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.” —Luke 1:17
Consider these questions:
Reread Zechariah’s response to the angel in verses 5-25. Was Zechariah ready for the message? How do you know? Explain.
Were Zechariah’s and Elizabeth’s neighbors and families ready for the truth about John? Why or why not?
Focus on verse 17. Elijah was one of the most revered Old Testament prophets whose ministry was centered on calling the people back to God and His righteous ways. John would do the same. Why is this important?
Respond
God had a purpose for John, and He has a plan for you, too. Pray that you will grow in relationship with God and walk according to His ways and wisdom and fulfill His purpose for your life.
Knowing God’s purpose for your life is intricately tied to knowing Him. What specific steps will you take this week to grow in relationship with Him? List two below.
Think about how you came into a relationship with Jesus. How did the Holy Spirit prepare you? Who did God use to bring you close to Him? Record your thoughts in your journal. End in a time of prayer, thanking God for pursuing you.
For further study of how others responded to God’s call, read Genesis 22:11; Exodus 3:4; and 1 Samuel 3:10.
Behind the Story
Hundreds of years before John the Baptist’s birth, God had spoken through the prophet Malachi of a time when He would send “Elijah the prophet” to His people. This Elijah would “turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers” (Mal. 4:5-6). Malachi’s prophecy isn’t about the reincarnation of the most revered prophet in Israel’s history. Instead, this promised prophet would share the same mission as Elijah: to call the nation back to God. In Matthew 17:10-13, Jesus identified John the Baptist as the Elijah whom Malachi had foretold.
The Point
God used John the Baptist to prepare the people for the coming Messiah.
Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Weekly Devotions