BE LIKE JOHN
27th May 2026
This morning I found myself singing an old chorus:
Moment by moment I’m kept in His love;
Moment by moment I’ve life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doeth shine;
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.
I found myself thanking the Lord for His life, His strength, His wisdom, and all that He gives on a ‘moment by moment’ basis, and I felt the Lord say, “My love is reciprocal, moment by moment I am with you to help, strengthen and to supply all that you need.”
I then began to see how this worked in the life of John the Baptist. The supernatural events surrounding his conception and birth are recorded in Luke chapter 1. An angel tells Zechariah, his father, that his wife will bear a son who will be a great joy to him and Elizabeth, and that he is to be named John. He will be filled with God’s Holy Spirit in the womb, achieve great stature with God, and turn many sons and daughters back to God, preparing them for what God is about to do.
During the sixth month of her pregnancy, Elizabeth is visited by Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth’s baby in her womb leaps with joy in the presence of the baby Jesus. After he is born and named John, his father sings a prophetic song, speaking out his destiny as recorded in Luke 1:67-80. It includes that, “John is called to be a prophet to prepare the way for the Lord… to give God’s people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.”
John grows, becomes strong in spirit and chooses to live in the wilderness until he appears publicly to fulfil the prophetic call. Luke 3:1-22 describes his ministry and straightforwardness. His word affects the whole nation, kings, soldiers, as well as ordinary men and women - all want to be baptised, to be changed and ready for God.
He is a man of great courage, not afraid to speak uncomfortable truth and challenge ungodly behaviour. The nation is affected and reveres him, wondering whether Elijah has returned.
So many of his characteristics are similar to Jesus. He is a man filled by God’s Spirit for thirty years, a man who listens to God, who recognises Jesus as the Messiah. He has no jealousy when Jesus starts to minister and draws large crowds as He teaches and heals.
John tells his followers, “He must increase, I must decrease.” John 3:30, and Jesus describes John as a “burning and shining light” John 5:35
A remarkable man - let’s follow his example.
by Joyce Sibthorpe
