Daily Devotional: January 27

Day Three, the Gospel According to Matthew, Chapter Three

I love John the Baptist, or John the Forerunner as the Eastern Church refers to him. He is a wild man living in the wilderness eating bugs and honey, swimming in the river everyday, and pointing people to Jesus. I love that his life exists for someone else entirely. We don't see that much in our generation because we are far too preoccupied with ourselves. John had found the secret is to think nothing of yourself and only of your role in the Story of God.

We don't know if John and Jesus had ever hung out before this story. We know from other Gospel accounts that they were first cousins, but that's all that is said. We don't know specifically that John knew Jesus was Christ until this moment, or if he recognized him as such for the first time that day by the river. What we do know is, at least on this day,  John recognized Christ as Christ when he saw Him. 

Do you recognize Christ when you see Him? Are you looking for Him?

In the fifth century a man named Patrick was taking the hope he had found to people in Ireland. His life was lived in service to something other than himself, and he is now venerated as a saint. Now on the anniversary of the day he died, people all over the world drink green beer and celebrate the nation of

Ireland, but Patrick's life wasn't lived in search of being celebrated. A famous prayer has been attributed to him that captures his motivation:

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Do you recognize Christ when you see Him? Are you looking for Him?

John the Baptist saw the mercy available to all people and made himself a vessel for that mercy's message. He was able to live a life completely outside of his own desire and pride and in service of the Christ he was hoping to see. More importantly, when John saw Jesus walking on the shore, he recognized Him.

Spend some time in silence. Ask Christ for the ability to see Him today. In every person you meet, in every conversation you have, in your meals, in your commute, may you see Christ.