Luke 1:80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

There has been speculation about just what it means that John was “in the wilderness,” but it seems probable that he was in one of the Essene communities that sprang up in the Wilderness of Judea. Why he was there is another question, but considering the ages of his parents when he was born, it seems likely that he was orphaned when he was young. Living with the Essenes might have been a deliberate choice on the part of his last surviving parent, since there were no formal orphanages back then. The Essenes, incidentally, were the ones who left us the Dead Sea Scrolls, and more such scrolls have been discovered just recently. They obviously placed much value in the writings of the Old Testament prophets, and that environment was vital in the development of John, as the forerunner to the Messiah. That is why he became “strong in spirit.” After all, he was touched by the Holy Spirit in his mother’s womb! (Luke 1:41) The thing is, John would not have been equipped for his ministry without all that he experienced. Starting out with parents who were dedicated to God was vital, but being deprived of those parents at a young age was important too. We don’t like to think about it, but sometimes the hardest times in our lives are the most valuable, because they teach us that we are weak but God is strong, and He will enable us to get through things we never could on our own. There is speculation as to how much interaction John and Jesus might have had before the famous scene of Jesus’ baptism, but it’s obvious from that that they knew each other. It probably wasn’t just a momentary revelation to John that Jesus was more worthy to baptize him than the other way around. (Matthew 3:14) The point is, John was a prepared vessel in God’s hand, and he got that way through spiritual growth. If he had rebelled and gotten bitter at what he went through, he would not have been the giant he became. I’m sure the transition from Herod’s court to the court of heaven was absolutely glorious for him!

I don’t expect to enter heaven through decapitation, but there are certainly worse things! I am sharply aware that God has planned different courses for each of His children, but each of them involves growth. No one arrives fully formed and matured! It was quite a few years ago that I realized that if God had resurrected a particular person I prayed for, not many years after we arrived in Omura, pride and many other factors would have destroyed me. We don’t plan our own paths very well. I don’t know precisely what path lies ahead, or how long it will be, since I will turn 76 in a month, but I do know it will include continued growth, because I’m not yet what God intends me to be. That said, I’m not to draw back from any task He sets for me, because it is in the doing, by His strength, and the failing, by my own strength, that I will grow as He desires and intends.

Father, thank You for Your patience with me. As I am reminded from time to time, I would have given up on me a long time ago! Thank You for all You enabled us to do in preparing for the gallery show that starts today. Thank You for the surprising degree of anticipation of this show that we have seen in many people. Whether pictures sell or not, I pray that people would delight to receive the tracts we have prepared, that good seeds would be planted and that even harvest would be seen, for the salvation of souls and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!