Road Warriors: John the Baptist—A Message of Repentance - Tuesday
Luke 1:41
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (NIV)
Have you ever been so excited about something that you literally could not contain your joy? I vividly remember the morning my wife began having contractions with our first child, Benjamin. As the day went on and the contractions progressed, the feeling of finally meeting our son became all too real for us. After a long labor and the pains of birth, I will never forget the first time we got to meet Benjamin. I am confident that I was the proudest dad who ever lived. My fist was pumping, my face was lit up with a smile and possibly a tear. One of the first things I did was put on my hat that said “#1 Dad.” I literally could not contain my joy.
The verse we read this morning depicts a similar scene, but with a joyful baby. And not just a baby, but a baby still in the womb! It’s hard to fathom the fact that a child still inside his mother’s womb could be so excited and joyful that he couldn’t stay still. Obviously something special happened for Elizabeth to feel her baby boy jump, and for her to recognize that she was filled with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist was that baby, and he was joyful because Jesus was coming. Just the sound of Jesus’ mother’s voice was enough to cause him to leap with excitement. At that moment, John knew the Savior was coming.
That same Savior, destined to deliver all people of their sins, is here, and His name is Jesus. That alone is cause for uncontainable joy.
Tuesday’s Reflection
Try to remember a time where you could not contain your joy. If you haven’t experienced that same joy toward the person of Jesus, pray and ask God to fill your heart with joy at the thought of Jesus.
