December 18, 2008

Read Matthew 3:1-12

When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: ‘Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It’s your life that must change, not your skin... [Jesus] is going to clean house – make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in is proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.—Matthew 3:7-8,12 (The Message)

Through today’s passage God calls on us to think about how we are living our lives. Are we going through the motions of following God, like the Pharisees and the Sadducees? Or are we truly allowing God to come into our lives and into our hearts? Keeping up an outward appearance of faith that is only skin-deep means nothing to God. This message from John the Baptist reminds us that Jesus does not want frivolous religious activity from us; he wants our hearts. God desires continual evidence that we want to change the way we live. What an overwhelming charge! It’s no wonder that Jesus is here to clean things up in our lives – to keep what is pleasing to God and to put the rest out with the trash to be burned.

Pray: Jesus, thank you for coming into my life and changing me from the inside out. Teach me to bear fruit that is satisfying and pleasing to you. Ignite a fire within me and give me courage as you make a clean sweep of my life. Amen.

Jenny Shult works as a social worker at a large non-profit that supports people with developmental disabilities and their families.