Notes to the Lord--Remember Who the Star Is

Mark One

[1.7-8] As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.”

Lord Jesus--It is so easy to get the wrong picture of where we fit into life.  So often, I get it somehow twisted in my head.  John was able to keep the focus.  In the middle of an active ministry and a busy life John kept his eyes and his heart on the place that had been given to him.  He was not the point.  He knew his ministry and his work was transitional to the next step of your plan.


Really, all of it this side of heaven gates is transitional and are only important as a means to your end.  So much of what I hold on to so tightly will all to soon end up memories.  They will become memories of what could have been held in my hands if I had been able to listen better.
The crowds came to see the guy who was coloring out side of the lines of the religious suppose-to-be's.  They came out to see a prophet who was willing to talk about the need for repentance and changed life. The person who was willing to stand up to speak truth to power


As I read this thoughts of the role of place and the role of the temple swirl around in my head.  This was the kind activity that should have been taking place in the temple...the place on earth where God was supposed to meet with his people.



Even in the temple worship had lost it's focus.  The point, the only point is change, repentance and a life lived out in light of that commitment.   So John reminds me today who is the star.


Lord Jesus--You are the star of this drama of life.  You are the priority, you are the focus. Anything else is not worthy of the time or the energy.  John reminds me that you are the star that continues to change me from the inside out.  All the rest of it in life is really stage hand work.  You seek to see changes that spring from the heart and that then naturally evidence to what takes place in behavior.


In this day that will begin when I close this page...be the star. Live in me and through me in this day.  Shine within me Light of the World. 

Peterson, Eugene H. (2006-06-15). The Message Remix 2.0: The Bible In contemporary Language (p. 1791). NavPress. Kindle Edition.