Before Jesus entered into public ministry, God raised up John the Baptist to prepare the way for Him. History had been moving toward this moment for generations and at the appointed time John came saying to the people, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight” (Mark 1:3).

I’m not sure God ever does much of anything out of a vacuum. God seems always to set up history for appointed moments. His coming might surprise, even catch us off guard, but it is never without preparation.

For generations God had been speaking to the people about the coming Messiah. Then one silent night He slipped into history, almost unnoticed. For some thirty years Jesus lives in obscurity. Very few people know about the miracle among them. Then John the Baptist shows up proclaiming, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals” (Mark 1:7). What a wonderful and humble testimony, but it gets better. John says, “I baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:8).

Surely, John did prepare the way; and, one day not too long after John’s words a face in the crowd stepped out and submitted Himself to be baptized by one who said of himself that he was “not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals.” The appointed time had come, and through John’s faithfulness the way was opened up for the Savior of the world to step out of obscurity and onto the world’s stage.

I have wondered if each of us doesn’t in some way have a John-the-Baptist role to play. Could it be that God uses us to open doors and to prepare the way for Jesus to step out of obscurity and into the lives of people who need the Savior?