Front of the Line
“Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”- Matthew 11:11
Skipping the lines makes a difference. It is an amazing feeling and great relief when a new cashier opens a lane at the grocery store, or you find yourself in an empty line for your favorite amusement park ride. One time Joanie and I were in line waiting for the doors to open at a conference, when one of the event leaders came to usher us straight into the facility. As we moved through the crowds, we received bewildering stares from folks wondering what made us so special.
In God’s eyes we indeed are precious, popular, and a top priority. His love extends to us, expresses value, and elevates our status. It is a love that gives us time and attention; provides care and help; speaks graciously and truthfully; is ever-present and always faithful. In Colossians 1:13 Paul writes about the wonder working ways of God’s love, “For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.” Each of us are called to come close, rise higher, and walk in the fullness and greatness of God’s love. As Jesus explained in the above passage from Matthew 11, we are no different than John the Baptist in His sight and in Heaven’s economy. Our lives matter because God love us the most!
The word of the Holy Spirit to us today is this: YOU HAVE A FRONT ROW SEAT. Allow this to sink in for a moment, that the God of the Universe, the one who made the sun, moon, stars and majesty all around us, takes delight in us and has great plans for us. His promise to create, to redeem, and to move in our lives is nothing short of miraculous. We don’t simply have a front row seat for what God has done in creation, we are witnesses to the wonders He is working within us. Psalm 139:16-18 says, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are Your thoughts, God! How vast the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.”
Get ready for a move to the front of the line, being led by His love and walking in His fullness!