Get Ready

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

GET READY

John 1:19-23

19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." 21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." 22 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"  

NIV

John was sure not to take anything away from Jesus. His testimony was not about himself, but about Jesus. Yes he told them that he was the voice of one calling the in the desert. He did not say that he was the one who was calling in the desert, but that he was the voice of one. He could not be the voice of two, but just one who was telling people to get ready, to make their lives prepared because the Lord was coming. So often we thing that sharing our testimony should be all about us, what God did in our lives, how he blessed us, how he saved us, and from what we were saved. But John merely told the people to prepare their lives, Jesus was coming. He did not want any fame or fortune because he believed, he simple was warning the people, that the Lord is coming. We should learn a lesson about how we share our testimony. Maybe we should just tell people who are not saved that they need to prepare their lives because Jesus is coming, which indeed he is. Sure it might be a good thing to tell them all that God did in our lives, it could serve to demonstrate the power of God, which might convince them of their need to prepare their lives for Jesus, to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Some might try to love them into the kingdom, trying to show them the love of God by doing all sorts of good deeds. But it just might be the best thing telling them they need to prepare their lives because the Lord is coming. It might be the best just to tell them to get ready.