Voice Crying In The Wilderness

The sound was tremendously loud but it did not hurt your ears. You could feel the voice and the ground rumbling but you felt save. It was high and low, loud and soft all at the same time. The sound was fierce but gentle. I have never heard anything like it nor have I ever since.

After the light dissipated and everything returned to normal (if you can call anything normal after the heavens opening up), John points to the man and declares: "This is the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world."

The man did not acknowledge the declaration but rather tried to avoid the attention. He just slip into the crowds and disappeared.

I thought about that. "Lamb of God that takes away the sins of this world." What does that mean? How can a king be a lamb? Why would a judge take away the sins of this world? These statements seem to be oxymorons.

**** take off the helmet ****

-- Modern Day Cry in the Wilderness --

My friends let us reflect on this story a bit.

When John walk on earth, he announced the coming of the Messiah. He message was non-apologetic about the need for repentance. He was a straight shooter and his message cut right to the bones of his listeners.

Today we have a similar message that we are to preach. The Messiah is coming again. But our message is weak and our voices carry no confidence.

Why? Why is our message so anemic and our voices weak? Is our message less important than that of John? If our message is just as important, why do we not preach with force?

Is it because we are not convinced of this message? After all, we have been preaching the second coming of Jesus of about 150 years and he hasn't come. It is kinda embarrassing to be like Noah. Preach and preach and preach with no results.

Or maybe we ourselves need to repent first?

-- Removal from the Environment --

When I reread the chapters in the Desire of Ages, I was so touches by the Holy Spirit that tears started coming down my eyes. I was in the middle of a Starbucks with my chair facing the entrance. It took all my strength not to cry.

When I read about how John removed himself from his surroundings to be with God, I was a shamed that I would not even spend an hour with God in the morning.

-- Words of Repentance --

Then the words of repentances hit me. It was as though I was standing by the Jordan river. And John was pointing at me and saying to me - "Repent." His eyes piercing through my very soul and all my hidden sins are exposed. I stand before God naked and dirty. There is no place to go but to confess. I look down at myself. Filth and the dirt was caked all over my skin. I was so dirty that I could not recognize myself. There was so much mud of sin on me that it actually felt heavy.

As I entered the water, I felt the flowing stream of the Jordan river loosen the mud. The cakes of mud just fell off of me as I rose out of the water.

I entered the water with sin and come out a clean man. My dirt mixed with all the rest of the dirt was carried down to the dead sea.

At first I was overwhelmed with guilt, then I was overwhelmed with the peace. More tears started to come.