Lent Devotional Day 7

Day 7
Tuesday, February 28


John 3:22-36

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into Judea, where he spent some time with them and was baptizing. 23 John was baptizing at Aenon near Salem because there was a lot of water there, and people were coming to him and being baptized.(24 John hadn’t yet been thrown into prison.)

25 A debate started between John’s disciples and a certain Jew about cleansing rituals.26 They came to John and said, “Rabbi, look! The man who was with you across the Jordan, the one about whom you testified, is baptizing and everyone is flocking to him.”

27 John replied, “No one can receive anything unless it is given from heaven.28 You yourselves can testify that I said that I’m not the Christ but that I’m the one sent before him. 29 The groom is the one who is getting married. The friend of the groom stands close by and, when he hears him, is overjoyed at the groom’s voice. Therefore, my joy is now complete. 30 He must increase and I must decrease. 31 The one who comes from above is above all things. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all things. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever accepts his testimony confirms that God is true. 34 The one whom God sent speaks God’s words because God gives the Spirit generously. 35 The Father loves the Son and gives everything into his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever doesn’t believe in the Son won’t see life, but the angry judgment of God remains on them.”


Reflection

I love a good wedding. Not for just anyone (I’ve been known to arrive late or leave early… this introvert can’t handle TOO much time at social events), but I love weddings for my people. The people that I carry in my heart. A wedding is a powerful time to gather and agree together about what’s true. During the wedding vows, the community of witnesses agrees with the couple who are committing to be faithful to on another. The witnesses can testify about what is true – what is true about the couple, who they are as individuals, and what is true about their union.

At my wedding, the pastor (a good friend and mentor to my husband and I for many years) shared that a word that describes my husband, Jake, is “Creative” – he is a musician, writer, and poet. The word that he selected for me is “Justice” – I am passionate about people on the margins and shalom, healing, and wholeness for all.

Together we were described or named as “Creative Justice.” That was such a powerful moment to hear a testimony about who we are and the witnesses that surrounded us were in agreement, affirming the truth of the state. It was a powerful moment that still means so much to me today.

Some people say that their favorite part of a wedding is when the bride appears for the very first time. Some will dare to look away from the beaming bride to catch the look on the groom’s face. This passage got me thinking, how many of us are looking at the best man? John the Baptist was Jesus’ best man. He prepared the way for Jesus. He made sure there weren’t obstacles in his way; he created a path for him to follow. I think about what the best man does for the groom in modern weddings. He usually guards the ring – perhaps the most valuable and meaningful item in the wedding ceremony. He also accompanies the groom on the wedding day, ready for anything, whether it be a logistical issue or an emotional one. I think of the best man at our wedding. He was my husband’s friend for a decade before our wedding day. They had been through many of life’s most formative moments together. On the day of our wedding, DJ was ready to go. Ready to protect my husband, ready to speak up on his behalf, ready to do any task, take on any job, and honor him on that special day. He created space for my husband to exist in exactly the way he needed to. Then he stood by my husband’s side, as his bride walked down the aisle, and his joy was complete.

John the Baptist is one of my favorite dudes in the Bible. In this passage, he humbly acts as Jesus’ best man. He’s not overexcited or anxious. He isn’t caught up in a turf war or the drama of the big day. He keeps it simple and his presence is steady. He breaks it down for us: “No one can receive anything unless it is given from heaven.” […] “The one who comes from above is above all things.” […] “The Father loves the Son and gives everything into his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.”

I wonder what it looks like for us to embody that John that Baptist, Best Man Spirit into our lives today.

By Steffeny Feld