Superhero

"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."  Matthew 3:4

I love this guy!  A true hero!  He's my hero!  If he were alive today or I was alive back then I would want to hang out with him.  And who wouldn't?!?  He absolutely could not care less about anything other than hearing from the Lord!!!   Obviously, fine clothes and fancy foods were not an issue.  He didn't need a stage or spotlight since he chose to live in the desert. He didn't care what people thought about him. Political correctness was not a concern since he preached a different government...and was beheaded for it.  Prestige was no concern.  Oh and he was in line for the priesthood but refused it...remember his parents?...yeah...daddy was a priest.  So titles meant nothing to him. Needless to say, comfort was not a necessity, and hardship seemed a preference.  It didn't matter!!!  NO MATTER WHAT IT TOOK, HE WAS DETERMINED TO KNOW HIS GOD!!!  

I wanna hang out with people like that.  Do you want to know why? Because I might get to know HIM a little bit more!  Even Jesus thought a lot of him. He said that no one born of women had been as great as John the Baptist!  Wow!  Would Jesus say that about us?

This guy was....well....a Superhero.

I wonder if John knew or had some idea of his future.  I wonder if he knew he would spend most of his life living in the desert, enjoying very little of the finer pleasures of life, only to go public with a difficult and unpopular message and after 15 minutes of fame end up beheaded because of some crazy lady!

Like any boy growing up, I loved superheroes.  Superman, Powerman, Spiderman, Captain America, Flash, and on and on.  Yes, bed sheets turned into capes and sticks turned into swords in the backyard of our home growing up. Nowadays, we have Star Wars, Ben 10, Bionicles, Harry Potter, Twilight, etc.  What makes them so great?  I think part of it is power.  Superhuman power.  We all want it.  And I don't think it's such a bad thing kept in perspective.  After all, didn't Adam have amazing ability before the fall?  Think about it...he managed the earth...he named ALL the animals.  He walked in purity before the presence of God.  And look at our future...a new name...hidden manna....eternal rewards....we'll rule and reign with Christ...we will fully know as we are known...there will be no darkness as members of this great eternal kingdom of priests!  I like to believe that somehow in some way we will be superheroes serving God for all eternity!

But for now, I love this John the Baptist, superhero…I love this superhero's uniform....Camel's hair and a leather belt...what else do you need when you have the power of the Holy Spirit?...I love his "special powers"....nothing....what?...yeah nothing...his only claim was the one coming after him whose shoelaces he was unworthy to untie...but when he spoke, the earth shook and lives were changed!...his only claim to power was that he made it...he survived the desert.  He endured God's testing, shaping, forming, stretching, molding and unending preparation...in his own "desert storm". Raised in the desert, SURRENDERED to the desert and all of its afflictions…that he might come forth, forged as a weapon in the master's hand.  This man allowed God to do whatever he needed to do...so that a bridled horse, a true spokesman for God would come forth.  God brought forth and trained a man through the furnace of affliction and a life of wordly denial to speak ONLY when he was SUPPOSED to speak and to do ONLY the work he was called to do.  He raised up a man to announce the coming of CHRIST!

I love this superhero’s food…locusts and wild honey.  He never ate at Mahogany’s.  He never tasted a hundred dollar bottle of wine…he never drank alcohol!  I love the company he kept…well I don’t know what company he kept…but I have to wonder what “officials”, CEO’s, religious leaders, or statesmen hung out in the desert?  What “brood of vipers” would even dare to come near him?  Raised in, and clothed with humility, he needed no limelight…only the light of his God.

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”  Romans 8:18

I love John’s eternal perspective.  He knew he was here for one purpose…to announce the coming of the Son of God and to repent of sin…he knew he was here to prepare the people for Christ, and soon he would join Him for all eternity.  Through every hour of joy or sadness, difficulty or elation, passion or drudgery…whatever the moment brought…it was there for a purpose…and he knew it...it was there to shape him…to mold him…to make him into what God called him to be…NOTHING was a waste…NOTHING in your life is a waste when you are surrendered to the desert…NOTHING in your life is a waste when you are surrendered to Him…Jesus…the Christ....the absolute lover of our souls.

...my prayer...

God, please make me your instrument.  May this life not be lived in vain.  May I become a weapon in your hand, fashioned by fire, sharpened & hammered to perfection, to slay the principalities of darkness and wickedness.  Out of my weakness and your strength, cause enormous faith to erupt from within me.  Help me to slay my dragons of fear and confusion.  Cause me to ride forth victoriously with valor and vision at my side.  Rescue me from my impurities.  Cleanse me of my sin.  That I may see you & behold the one I desire above all.  My longing for the light of your countenance, the deep wealth of your word spoken, and the rich fragrance of your presence are almost too much to bear.  I remember how you visited me through the day always close…surrounding me.  Your words impregnated my soul without relent.  Worship was my every thought, my every breath, and my steadfast response.  I pray for a new chapter to begin.  Perhaps something deeper, a rekindling,. Perhaps this is a new invitation…to your altar, the secret place.