His sandals

"I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. " - Luke 3:16

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com 

Reflecting on the life of John the Baptist, I'm amazed at how the Holy Spirit had been with this older cousin of our Lord Jesus Christ. Even when he was just a foetus he did a supernatural baby flip in Elizbeth's womb when Mary had excitedly visited her cousin to share the wonderful news of her own pregnancy with the Son of God. 

While he was closely related to our Lord Jesus, St. John was the mark of the spirit of humility when he declared that he was unworthy to untie Jesus' sandals. In another gospel account in John 3:29-30, he was quoted, "He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease."

A statement that echoes what St. Paul wrote about our Lord Jesus in Philipians 2:6-8, NRSV who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.

A quality that was echoed by Jesus' mom when she received the startling revelation that she was going to bear the Son of God in her virgin body. A beautiful prayer encapsulated in the Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55, NRSV: 46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name; 50 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. 54 He has come to the aid of his child Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

I will close my sharing with this beautiful hymn, Nearer My God to Thee. This hymn was allegedly played by the ill-fated Titanic's string ensemble as the monolithic ship was sinking into the icy seas of the North Atlantic Ocean, taking along with it more than 1500 souls.

Verse 1 Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me, still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! Verse 2 Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down, darkness be over me, my rest a stone; yet in my dreams I'd be nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! Verse 3 There let the way appear, steps unto heaven; all that thou sendest me, in mercy given; angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Verse 4 Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise, out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise; so by my woes to be nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! Verse 5 Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky, sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly, still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Youtube link: https://youtu.be/rwLl5nY5WPI Author: Sarah Flower Adams, 1841 Sung by: Sharon Singers of the Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute. Reflection on Luke 3:1-20 by Chris Tan