Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation. Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives. (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).
Advent - Day 11 - One More Worthy
Mark 1:4-8 (ESV) 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
It’s not easy to keep the thought in mind that there is a person we’re not worthy to be around. Try focusing for any length of time on the idea that there’s someone out there who shoes you are not even worthy to lace up. We’re so used to thinking of ourselves as equals and giving ourselves self-esteem pep talks that, more often than not, we think of ourselves as better than the rest of the world.
Consider two lines of thought:
1- “People would be pretty lucky to have me around! I’m a valuable asset to the community. Don’t forget it!” OR...
2- “His/ Her shoe? Are you kidding? I’m not good enough to lay a little finger on it.”
Which line sounds more how you think? Truth is, we feel very comfortable with our selves – even those of us with self-esteem problems.
But someone out there is more grace-full, more power-full, more worthy than we are. Next to him or her we look like slug bait. It's not exactly the tingly Christmas-is-coming pick-me-up we’ve been looking for in Advent. We’re in the same boat with John, even if we don’t realize it. John - a star in God’s kingdom work – couldn’t hold a candle next to this Christ.
But notice what John tells the people (what he tells us) about this One-more-worthy. “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” This advent – this “arrival” of the Christ – is a giving of Himself, of His Spirit, to those not worthy. It is as if the queen has stopped her carriage next to us to say, “You are my lost son/ daughter. You are full of my spirit. Come and live with me.”
So, the arrival of Christ is our arrival into true person-hood through the entrance of His Spirit into our very being. His arrival gives us importance in His Kingdom - no matter how we feel on earth. His Holy Spirit empowers us and takes us above our daily insecurities. We are now "accepted in the Beloved."
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