The Peace We Long For: Advent in Disorienting Times | Day 9

 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;  He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.  These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. 

John 1: 19-28

John 1:19-28 describes an encounter between John the Baptist and the Jewish leaders who are questioning him about his identity and purpose. 

As John was answering the questions from the Jewish leaders, he answered honestly and authentically. I have been questioned in my life regarding my place in the world. As a person who looks like a man but is biologically female, I have been questioned about what I am. I struggled with what society wants me to be and what I feel that I am. Similar to John in this passage, I found peace in accepting that I am a child of the Almighty God and He made me the person that I am today.  Just like John, I know who I am, and that provides peace for me during Advent.

The person that you are, be at peace with. Know who you are and be proud, like John, and if questioned, answer those questions with the confidence that you are the child of the most high God.

You were made in His image, and like John in this passage, you can answer those who question you.

Be proud of who God made you to be, for there will be peace in knowing who you are. If you struggle with this, find your peace that you don’t know because that is ok too. Be fully and authentically you, like John. 

Prayer:  Lord, we pray that we know that we are a child of God and we were made in his image. Like John, let us honor God by boldly knowing who we are and finding peace in being authentic. Amen.