The
fulfillment of a ministry calling is always an amazing thing, especially to the
one who has been called by God.
One thing we
must remember about John the Baptist is he is performing all God has called him
to do without having seen the results of his ministry – or even really knowing
what the result may be.
Also, we
must remember John is doing all this in a confrontational manner before what
could be a hostile crowd. Apparently, the majority of the crowd comes around to
his message, and is deeply affected by it – but he did not know that would
happen prior to launching off into his message of Spiritual conviction and the
requirement for repentance as a means of heart preparation for the coming of
the Messiah.
And the Messiah
had NOT come yet when John began, and he really had no certainty He would. John
was operating and placing himself in grave danger by faith alone. He told the
crowd the Messiah was coming before he himself had seen the Messiah or known of
his existence - except by God’s word.
God had told
John to “Go and do,” and so John ‘went and did.’
This is the
kind and quality of obedience to God’s calling we seldom see any more. There is
perhaps an evaluation of whether what God is telling us can be so before we
even begin to think about whether it may be so. Of course, our own sense of personal
comfort, protection, and even convenience also enter the equation. “Can this be
accomplished without too much being required on my part?”
John was
nothing like that. He is a personal hero of mine for that reason. I am here to remind
everyone John was operating only on faith in the face of grave personal danger
to himself. His faith was not yet sight at the time the bulk of his ministry
was carried out.
Yet, I am
also here to remind us all of the great reward from simply doing what God says
to do, when God says to do it – even when the result is not known, and even if
the result may never be known.
Oh, but what
if John had not gone and done what God told him to go and do?
-Pastor Bill
