The Last Day On The Job...

I really enjoyed teaching the kids at church about John the Baptist on Sunday.  As I mentioned yesterday, the kids in our class have been on a virtual “Road Trip” in Israel experiencing the events that occurred before, during and after the birth of Jesus.  The last place we “visited” Sunday was John the Baptist’s parent’s home.  We just happened to arrive there immediately following John’s birth.

I don’t think that I have fully appreciated John’s ministry until this year.  It would be hard for me to imagine the extra work that Jesus would have had to have gone through if John had not come previous to His entrance in order to prepare His way.  John’s job was to remind the people of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, to get them back to the original intent of the Law of Moses (that pointed the people to their need for a Savior), and to introduce them to Jesus.

It is also very interesting that when his job was over he backed away from the mainstream of the people’s interest and directed them to Jesus.  That was a man that knew his calling, fulfilled it and then moved on.  I wonder if you and I could do the same?  How many times have we received a direction from the Lord and then kept pursuing it way after the anointing for the job had passed?

I know that I have hung on to things for far too long many times over the years.  It’s comfortable to keep at the things you’ve been doing, especially if you’re good at it, but that doesn’t mean that it is right!  I finally came to realize that we have to stay sensitive to the Lord’s leading as to His direction changes.  I guess it could be compared to the GPS in your car that has to “recalibrate” during your trip.

The transitions into new directions have been made easier for me by remembering that “God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus! (Philippians 4:19 – KJV)  As God supplied everything I needed for the various positions I’ve held in the past, He will do the same in the future.  (See Hebrews 13:8)

Isn’t God good?  He’s got it all figured out for you and me.  All we have to do is listen and obey and then allow Him to do the rest!  So don’t panic the next time you begin to sense that change is in the air for you.  Yield to Him and the going will be a lot less stressful as well as successful!  Stay tuned and keep asking yourself… “What am expecting today?”