Time and Place

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. Luke 3:1-2

            God works in our times. Our faith does not exist outside of the times and events in which we live. God works in and through the people, places, and current events of our lives, and asks us to counter the cultural effects that these times bring, especially upon the poor, the oppressed, the hurting, and the wayward. Sometimes when we look at the news, and consider what is happening in our world today, we are tempted to despair, but these events, as sad, disturbing, upsetting, or frustrating as they are, are exactly the events that God wants us to bring His Presence into. As we see in the story of Esther, who knows but that you are here, now for just this purpose? (See Esther 4:14).

            John heard God’s Word come to him in the wilderness. Where will you hear God’s Word come to you today? Are you listening for it?

Let’s Do Something About It

·      Take a moment to review your schedule over the last couple of days. Do you see a pattern of people/places/ or activities? How fully aware are you during those times that you may be the one to bring God’s Presence consistently into those places and to those people?

·      When you watch the news today or read the paper or news magazine consider using the headlines as your prayer list.

·      Ask God to give you a prayer list of Government, Social, and Religious leaders for whom you can be praying regularly.