Today’s Verses:

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

    make straight paths for him.’”

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.” Matthew 3:1-6

“Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Matthew 11:11

Devotional:

Why pull away from the demands when there is so much to do? Why spend your time praying when you could be producing? It’s difficult to devote time to prayer when your mental checklist invades your headspace. Sometimes the best thing you can do is pause and remember God’s value system.

In Matthew chapter 11, Jesus commends John the Baptist, referring to him as “the greatest”. For the average onlooker, John’s life may have seemed strange. John the Baptist didn’t just pull away into the wilderness periodically, he chose to live there. John wore rugged clothing, he ministered on the outskirts, and stayed faithful to his calling to prepare the way for the Lord. In Jesus’ era, the king was known as Herod the Great and Caesar Augustus was deified. In a culture that considered powerful rulers the epitome of greatness, Jesus conveys a different value system by deeming this wilderness-dweller great.

As you pull away from the busyness to spend time with Jesus, remember God values faithfulness over success. He values what can happen in the wilderness—in time spent tuning out the noise to listen for His voice. Take time today to set aside your to-dos and enjoy God’s presence. Most likely, an encounter with the Creator of the Universe will make your to-do list seem a little bit smaller.

Question:

What needs to change in your value system to better align with God’s?

Prayer:

God, thank you that you don’t value what the world values. Help my thoughts and desires align with yours, help me to value what you value. Clear my mind from the noise and clutter so I can hear from you today. In Jesus’ name, amen.