Devotional by Mike Uhlig

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.”

John 1:6-8

If you’ve ever seen a movie or show set during medieval times, I’m sure you’ve encountered a scene where a king enters a village preceded by a parade. This parade was a ceremonial entrance where heralds would officially announce the arrival of a king, and they would proclaim the titles and achievements held by the king. Trumpeters and banner-bearers would also join the parade to help bring attention to and ensure that villagers were well aware of the royalty approaching. These ceremonial entries would be extravagant and festive to make a joyous occasion all in order to bolster the excitement and reputation of a royal king. Imagine the anticipation and eagerness felt among villagers as they awaited their king….

Imagine for a second if all of the jobs and objectives described above were wrapped up as one person’s responsibility. Not only that, but it was for the entrance of not an earthly king, but a divine king. One that ruled the entire universe. Well, that was the job of the sole individual described in these verses. That individual was John the Baptist.

John the Baptist was the herald, the voice crying in the wilderness, proclaiming the arrival of a King like no other. He announced not the titles and achievements of earthly kings, but the coming of the Light of the World who takes away all sin. In doing so, John fulfilled the prophecy from Isaiah, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God" (Isaiah 40:3).

In a way, we are all like John the Baptist. We may not be the source of light ourselves, but we do have the privilege of reflecting that divine light and proclaiming that the Light of the World is here. We have a responsibility to consider who in our lives God is calling us to proclaim the good news of Christ's arrival for our salvation. God has uniquely positioned each of us giving us unique opportunities to bear witness to His coming. 

So the question today is: Who is God putting on your heart to share the message of His love and salvation with?