Sort of a New Beginning

Over the last few days, I have realized that I've been atrocious in my upkeep of this blog. Which is inexcusable, considering the fact that I'm currently unemployed. So I have resolved to quit making excuses, and blog my daily reading. I've been in the epistles recently, but I really want to get back to the gospels. So, without further ado, my new (running) commentary through Mark.

Mark 1:1-12
I feel bad for John the Baptist. We kind of always assume that he was this crazy tough guy, who loved his (ahem) rustic lifestyle, and wasn't all that bothered by eating bugs. I'm not so sure. I only know 1 or 2 people who could even come close to genuinely enjoying that particular lifestyle, and they would want to spend it with friends and family, rather than by themselves. I can't imagine that this was John's 1st career choice. He was from a priestly family, so serving in the temple was at least familiar to him, because of his father. It wouldn't surprise me at all if John had to walk away from a decent education, a girl that he wanted to marry, or a position of respect, if not all three. But when the Spirit calls you, you're a fool to resist, no matter what you want. If He tells you to go into the wilderness, because you have to open hearts for the coming Messiah, you'd better obey, no matter the personal cost. But the life of the lone prophet preaching hellfire and brimstone is lonely, to say the least. Jeremiah was worn down by it, I can't imagine that John was not. That being said, what a rush to see your ministry fulfilled. What an absolute joy to see the Messiah walking toward you, and know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that your work was acceptable to God.
I think we often expect that same sense of accomplishment in our ministry. We think, "Hey, I'll preach and baptize for a few years, and then Jesus is going to come and tell me what a wonderful job I did." I'm not sure it's that easy. We know we get rewarded, but we forget that it's in the next life. In this life, we can expect to wear camel hair shirts, and eat locusts. Well, I'm not going to say we should expect that. God, in His grace, often gives us more than we could possibly dream of, but I don't think we should be surprised by it either. Pray for rain, but be ready to eat locusts.