Excerpt
Out of the Wilderness
Day OnePrepare the Way for the LordJohn replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” —John 1:23–27The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease. —John 3:29–30, ESVJohn the Baptist clarified his identity and mission in this passage in John 1. He was not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet. Rather, he was the one preparing the way for the Messiah—Jesus. John’s mission was to call people to repentance and baptize them as a symbol of their commitment to change. His role was to ready people to receive Jesus and his message, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah and pointing to the greater work that Jesus would accomplish (Isaiah 40:1–9).
In these verses from John 3, John the Baptist expressed his joy and fulfillment in seeing Jesus’s ministry flourish. Using the wedding metaphor, he illustrated his supportive role as the friend of the Bridegroom (Jesus), rejoicing in the success and presence of Jesus. John’s declaration, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” is evidence of his humility and understanding that his purpose was to prepare for Jesus, and now that Jesus had come, John’s role would naturally decrease as Jesus’s ministry took center stage.
From AngelaJust as John knew his purpose, we, too, possess a deep yearning and essential need to have and know our purpose in life. Chasing empty ideals can leave us feeling unsatisfied, and a lack of purpose will lead to deep depression and a lifetime of emptiness. But as Christians, our purpose is clear: to know Jesus and to make him known. While some may think that sounds cheesy, I know now it is what God wants for me, just like he did for John the Baptist.
While I haven’t always walked according to God’s Word, I have been someone who prays. But honestly, even though I prayed my heart out in my younger days, my prayers were selfish. Back then, I begged God to fulfill my greatest needs and desires. I told him things had to go exactly the way I envisioned or else I’d just die.
But that all changed one day when I was twenty-five and God spoke clearly into my heart and told me that I had my relationship with him backward. He reminded me who was God (him) and who was not (me). He reminded me that I am to serve him, not the other way around. I had been treating my relationship with God transactionally, ignoring that he is the giver of life and creator of all, and I am but a servant. That interaction was one of the greatest moments of maturity in my faith walk. Incredibly humbled, I realized I had a big heart change to make.
Since then, every morning when I wake up, I drop to my knees and ask Jesus what he needs from me. I offer him my day, saying, “I dedicate every moment of today to you. Where do you need me to go? Who do you need me to talk to? How can I serve you in all I do and everywhere I go?” I am now completely Christ-focused, which has changed my life forever. I have the most beautiful relationship with Jesus, in which I know my place as servant and his role as master.
In my submission to God, I found security. And joy. And peace. I discovered purpose like I’d never known before. I soon found a mentor who discipled me and helped me learn more about God and the Bible. But the knowledge I gained wasn’t for me alone. It was for me to then go out and make more disciples (Matthew 28:19) by sharing what I learned. I began proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone, telling them what God did for my life and trying my best to articulate that he could do the same for them. I’ll explain more about the origins of Girls Gone Bible (GGB) in a later devotion, but the seed of its existence was planted in my heart at that time. I want my entire being, my entire existence, to be a means to prepare the way for the coming Lord. Serving God and his people fills my soul to overflowing.
The Bible says the first commandment is to love God, and the second is to love people (Matthew 22:37–39). Although I’ve always been a lover of people, loving Jesus expanded my heart’s capacity for loving others to an extent I didn’t even know was possible. Scripture also says that we love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). This is why loving Jesus is a prerequisite to loving people the way he intends for us to. When I fell in love with Jesus, I could no longer be passive or indifferent about people. Behind every set of eyes is a soul that Jesus cares about. And since Jesus cares for them, so do I.
In December 2023, Ari and I felt led to host a baptism in L.A. out of this overflowing love of others. Jesus had given us the amazing gift of our GGB community, and it had been growing rapidly. The people in this community became my best friends, whom I get to commune with every Friday through our podcast. They are the ones I spend all week praying for. I care for them so deeply and love them with everything I have. They have loved Ari and me so well, and my life is full because of them.
And though it may have been GGB that drew these people to the L.A. event, it was the one true God, Jesus Christ, whom they came looking for. My heart was forever marked by the brokenness I saw in many who attended, and a burden was placed on my soul that has not lifted and I pray never does. Being able to look into the eyes of so many of our brothers and sisters in Christ—people we had been speaking to through our podcast but hadn’t ever met—and to pray for them was a turning point for me. It was a reminder that people are hurting, and they need Jesus.
Yet, even up to this point, I had been attempting to hold on to control of my life. I had my own ideas and plans. That night after the baptism, alone on the couch at 2:00 a.m., I had an intimate moment with God. I whispered, “Jesus, I’m ready to give it all up. Anything I had planned for my life, I’m ready to let it all go for what we did tonight, for the rest of my life.” And I meant it.
I constantly pray that God instills in me the heart posture of John the Baptist—that my only aim would be to prepare the way for the Lord’s coming, and that the people who hear me and think to follow me would immediately recognize the only one worth following is Jesus.
I pray that I will become less and less so that Jesus becomes greater and greater in my place. That when I speak, my words will point to Jesus. That when I move, my actions will point to Jesus. That when I love, my heart will point to Jesus. I am not worthy even to untie his sandal straps, so it is my life’s greatest honor to be a small part in the big things only he can do.
Dear God,Thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ. Help me to make him known in every aspect of my life. Let my words, actions, and thoughts reflect his love and truth to those around me. Guide me to find my true purpose in Jesus so that I may live a life that glorifies you. Lord, as I seek to be more like Jesus, I also ask for a spirit like John the Baptist’s. Give me the courage to speak boldly of your coming kingdom, the humility to always point others to Jesus, and the dedication to prepare the way for him in the hearts of many. Strengthen me to live a life of purpose and service, drawing others to your light. May I decrease so that Jesus may increase in all that I do.In his name I pray, amen.Your turn: What have you learned about Jesus in this devotion, and how does this apply to your season in the wilderness?
