“And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of His public appearance to Israel.” (Luke 1:80 ESV)
I often wonder about John the Baptist. His miraculous birth to aged parents may not have been the delightful happy ending we initially picture. Yes, John was born to spiritually mature and joyous people, but how long did they get to be parents? At was point did young John start to tend to their mounting needs, trading roles far too soon? Scholars believe Elizabeth was in her sixties and Zechariah was in his nineties at the time of John’s birth. How many years did they have as a family of three? When did John wind up dwelling in the desert? Was it grief that drove him there? Destitution? Did the Spirit of God lead him out into a less-than life?
The Bible often condenses complicated back story into compact conclusion. We rarely read of the contributing factors or the wrestle. We simply see the arrival of biblical characters at right or wrong decisions. While this infuriates and encourages, perhaps the lesson is that our toil is not nearly as critical as our conclusion. We don’t know what all happened in John’s origin story, but we know that somehow he wound up in the desert, strong in spirit and ready to serve the Kingdom.
I’m reminded again that times of loss, trial and wilderness wandering can still rightly contribute to God’s purpose. Whatever sent John into the desert set him in the right place at the right time. And with all that had happened in the silent pages of John’s story, he was still the right person to prepare the way for his cousin, the Christ.
Some of you are in a season of subtraction or seclusion right now. It’s uncomfortable. Lonely. Even painful. And certainly not how you wanted to spend Christmas. But be encouraged by John the Baptist. God is setting you up for a Kingdom-critical task. It’s okay to wrestle, just make sure you arrive at right conclusions. God is going to use this stretch of your story for His glory. Stay strong, stay in the conversation, and trust His sovereignty.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 ESV)
Lord, sometimes we wind up in the desert. Wondering. Wandering. Wrestling. We trust that You will meet us here, too, in the dust and dirt of loss and loneliness. You are faithful and You redeem all things. Even the death of things. Help us to arrive at right conclusions. May we stay committed to remaining available for divine use. Leverage our lives as You see fit this Christmas. Amen.