Daily Office Readings for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Advent 2020: Year 1
AM Psalm 55; PM Psalms 138 and 139:1 to 17;
Isaiah 10:20 to 27; Jude 17 to 25; Luke 3:1 to 9
“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.” (Luke 3: 1 and 2)
I think these first two lines of Luke chapter 3 inform us about what we really need to know about God and who God can use. Look at the human hierarchy of the day. Both governmental; as well as the spiritual leaders, were established to honor, serve, and protect the people while in their lofty positions. But they were all so full of themselves; there was no room for God.
Therefore, the Word of God found its way to one who emptied himself, John, son of Zechariah in the wilderness. We live in a different kind of wilderness today. Today we live in a spiritual wilderness. In many ways we still live under people, both political and cleric, who are often so full of themselves. There is little, if any, room for the word or love of God to be put in them. How about you? Do you have, within you, room for the Word of God?
I have heard or read somewhere that a full cup is no longer a cup because it has no potential to hold water or any beverage. Only the empty cup should properly be called a cup. John emptied himself and was therefore useful to God. John spoke truth to power. It cost him his earthly life, but he has a new life now in the realm of God because God keeps those who prove useful to the purposes of God.
We should emulate John in how he emptied himself. God is still in need of cups. God is still in need of people who aren’t full of themselves. We too, without fear of what may happen to us in this life, must speak truth to power. God will keep you in that heavenly cabinet where God keeps all the useful serving dishes; we will be placed right there next to John, forever. Halleluiah!
Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to, and through, the saints of God, and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 