The Voice in the Wilderness

Today the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the birth of John the Baptist. What an amazing man he was. Just read what his father Zechariah had to say about him at his birth.

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has come to His people and set them free. He has raised up for us a might savior, born of the house of His servant David. Through His holy prophets God promised of old to save us from the hand of our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us, to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant. This was the oath that he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies. Free to worship his without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

And you my child shall be called profit of the most high, for you will go before the Lord to prepare His way. To give His people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God, the Dawn from on high shall break upon us. To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet on the road of peace."

I think most of us know the "locust and wild honey" or the "I am not fit to loosen the straps of his sandals" John, but today we focus on his birth. When I was reflecting on this what came to mind was his name. In the bible the use of a name often marks an event where God changes the person. God changes Abram (father of many) to Abraham (father of great many) and then Abraham laughs at him and God tells him to name his son Issac (laughter). Jacob changed to Israel after wrestling with God. Saul to Paul after being knocked to the ground (by the way the bible never says he was on a horse).

The reason his name struck me was because John was supposed to be called Zechariah after his father, but God worked in Zechariah's heart before John was even born and changed his name. God changed John from the very beginning to give his life a new purpose, a new vocation, to be a voice in the wilderness calling out to prepare the way of the Lord.

From the very beginning John lived his life directing people to Christ. Living a life of humble service always pointing to one who was greater then him. Never stopping to accept praise and glory for himself, but always for God. In the end it was jealousy, lust, corruption and greed that took John's life. What a necessary evil it was to have such a man who lived in the desert and sat amongst Kings to be martyred by the same sins that today also drive us away from Christ.

Keep up the fight