Confirming Signs

I know God's will for my life. Know Jesus and make Him known. But sometimes the road can get long and difficult. Doesn't mean that God isn't there. Or that I'm on the wrong path. Just means that Satan is active. But sometimes, with the passing of time we can get frustrated and begin to wonder if we're doing the right thing, especially when we're facing pressure! So it's nice when God gives confirmation of His plan.

That's what He did for John the Baptist. I was reading today in John 1:19-34 and saw something very interesting. A confirmation. A really cool confirmation!

So John is preaching and baptizing around the Jordan river and he's getting hammered by these religious leaders who are asking him a bunch of questions and probably hacking him off a bit. So he says (I hadn't caught this before), "right here in this crowd is someone you do not recognize...I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie his sandals." That meant this mystery person was pretty important! But the next day John sees Jesus coming toward him and says, "behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world! I did not recognize Him... but... I saw the Holy Spirit descending on Him like a dove... I didn't know He was the one...but when God sent me to baptize He told me, 'the one on whom you see the Holy Spirit descend is the one.'"

So, for 30 years Elizabeth (John's mom) had been telling him that his cousin Jesus was the Messiah. The day before when the leaders where questioning him John saw his cousin Jesus in the crowd but did not reveal him. The next day, as Jesus approached John, John saw the Holy Spirit - in the form of a dove - come down from heaven and rest on Jesus. Confirmation. His whole life and ministry had been lived up to this point with nothing from God. He did exactly what God wanted and yet lived in the desert. Was called a crazy man. Wore crudely fashioned clothes from camel's hair (itchy!) and he ate locust and wild honey (which means no one cooked for him, he was a loner). His whole adult life was lived as an outcast. Yet he was faithful. He was waiting. And though he knew his cousin, Jesus, was supposed to be the Messiah, and he knew that Jesus was in the crowd that day. He did not point Him out. He did not call Him to his defense. He waited for the confirmation. And He got it. Just like Moses. Just like Elijah. Just like Gideon. Just like Paul.

Don't assume that your circumstances are any indication of God's favor or punishment on your life or ministry. So often we confuse our present situation or circumstances or ministry success (or failure), with God's blessing or punishment. If God were pleased with my life and ministry He'd bless me is the thinking. Not correct. John "made clear the way for the Lord" for what could have been years with nothing in his life or ministry that would prove God's favor. He didn't perform miraculous signs or wonders. He wasn't financially blessed. He was comfortable. He probably didn't have friends (cause he stunk!). And he was opposed by the religious leaders and the general population. But he was faithful and received the confirmation that what he was doing had been the right thing.

Wrap up: Be on the lookout for God's confirmation. He will give them. It's your job to notice them when they happen.