Advent Daniel Fast - Day 8

A ROUGH AND WILD John the Baptist seems to interrupt Advent’s gentler story. But the way of the Lord, the path for Jesus, had to be prepared so that people did not miss what God was doing right before their eyes. John’s life was full of sacrifice. He lived and died so that Jesus could bring hope into the world. John lived and died so that God’s Word could be fulfilled.

- Pamela C. Hawkins
Simply Wait

The second and third weeks of Advent are the two weeks when John the Baptizer gets to shine. Really, it's the only two weeks of the year when we pay any attention to this strange figure. He is a marginalized figure in Scripture - he lives in the wilderness, eats bugs, wears dead animal skin, and tells people that they need to turn their backs on the life they've been living and turn around to face God and God's coming Messiah, Christ, Savior. He was unsettling to those in religious power in is day, and he's unsettling to us know, who, by virtue of our participation in the church, are religious insiders. 

In many ways, John the Baptizer embodies sacrifice, prayer, and fasting (at least the Daniel Fast doesn't include a daily dose of crickets and stinkbugs!). Even though his message was uncomfortable, it was enticing. People were drawn to hear him and be baptized in spite of themselves. Perhaps your fast journey has been the same - it's been uncomfortable but you continue to be be drawn in to explore this path that God has laid before you for this time and for this place. 

As you enter into the second week of the journey, I pray that God is giving you more spiritual clairty. Perhaps you're facing uncomfortable truths about your life and your relationship with God. If so, here John's words - "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." (Matthew 3:11).  This time of fasting and prayer is a form of preparing us to experience Jesus in a powerful way. May God continue to lead and bless us as we seek him, even in the wild and woolly days of Advent.