Do you know where you belong? Do you know your place in the world? Have you taken stock of who you are? Do you know your skills or talents? Have you made the effort to educate yourself? Have you accepted the invitation to be in Christ’s kingdom?
Over the years I have concluded that we do not really know our place in the world. So, so many of us want to be the royals. We want to throw big parties. We want to have all the luxuries. We want to wear only the name brands. And we will do it, even if it means mortgaging our future.
There is another lack we have. We lack knowing who we belong to. Because we don’t really know what it means to belong to God, to Christ, we are not comfortable with who we are. Oh, we may say we are, but we aren’t. It is evident by the worry, anxiety, and stress we live under. If we truly knew God and really trusted him with everything, we would not live the way we do. Oh, perhaps for a moment or two we might worry, but we would remind ourselves that we belong to God, and he will take care of it.
John knew who Jesus would be. John knew the Messiah was so far above him that he did not deserve to be in His presence. John knew his place in the world. He knew he was to prepare the way for the Messiah. He knew what his mission was. And he also knew that he belonged to God. He did not worry. He trusted God. He went about doing what he was to do.
We can learn a lesson from John. We may not have a mission like John’s, but we have a mission given to us by God. Our lives would be far better if we were to trust God and seek to do what he wants us to do. By trusting God, really trusting him, we can eliminate our worry, anxiety, and stress.
I pray we all trust God with all our heart. I pray we seek to carry out the mission God has given us. I pray each one of us finds our place in the world and know who we belong to. Rid yourself of worry. Rid yourself of anxiety. Rid yourself of stress. Trust God. Know you belong to him. Know that he is in control. Carry out the mission God has for you.
Luke 3:16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Marty Pressey 