December Devotions and Doodles – Day 11 (December 11)
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:1-7
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
3 A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make his paths straight!
4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.
7 He proclaimed, “One who is more powerful than I am is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
December 11 Devotional: Desert Devotion
Okay, one more about John the Baptist – I must be really fascinated with this guy this year! The beginning of the Gospel of Mark drops us into history in the life of the adult John the Baptist.
Weirdness in the Wilderness
John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. Mark 1:6
My daughter heard someone say once, “What’s weird makes you wonderful” and ever since, she and I have said that whenever we do something that we think other people would think is weird.
John was, by most standards, weird! He lived out in the desert wilderness. He dressed in scratchy, itchy camel hair clothes tied on with a leather belt. His diet was not exactly gourmet. He ate bugs and honey!
People Came to Watch the Weirdness
Crowds flocked out to desert to see this strange man. And when they came, they heard about forgiveness of their sins. They saw a man baptizing people in a river.
Not the Main Event
But the crowds also heard that John tell them that he was not the main event. He told them that they shouldn’t just follow his weirdness and message of forgiveness. He prepared the way for the Main Attraction – the Messiah.
A Better Baptism
John baptized crowds from Jerusalem in the Jordan River with water, but he knew that the Greater One was coming. He even tells the people that Jesus is more powerful than he is. That John is not worthy to take off the sandals of the Coming One. That Jesus will bring a better baptism – He will baptize people with the Holy Spirit.
Drawn to the Desert Devotion
John’s wonderful weirdness drew people out to stare at him, but they stayed for the message he was proclaiming. Sometimes, our weirdness draws the attention of the world. Once they are watching us, what will they see?
Will they see someone whose devotion to God is evident, even in the desert? Will they see someone who shows them the way to forgiveness? Will they hear about Jesus? Will they be influenced to long for the Holy Spirit?
December 11 – Action Step:
What about us today (December 11)?
Take stock of what makes you weird and wonderful. What are people drawn to when they look at your life? Let’s focus our lives to point to Jesus and give Him glory rather than drawing attention to ourselves.
Prayer:
Dear God, Allow us to bring glory to You. Help focus our lives to direct everyone to Jesus. Let our weirdness be used for a wonderful purpose in Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Drawing Tutorial – December 11: How to Draw a Christmas Cactus
- Start with a simple cactus shape. Tip: Offset the arms of the cactus, rather than lining them up.
- Loop some curvy lines (for Christmas lights) around the cactus, leave room for the lights to be added.
- Add a pot at the bottom (see picture).
- Remember when we learned to draw Christmas lights earlier this month – use that knowledge to add lights on the wires. Add a star at the top!
- Finish off with some vertical lines and cactus spines!
Click here to check out other posts in this series: December Devotions and Doodles!