One moment he was there; then he was gone. He had disappeared into the crowd.
John started to panic, his heart beating faster and faster...but the people around him were used to him becoming excited. That was why they came to him. A giant of a man, with a deep voice that echoed in their hearts, he pierced them with the truth.
It had started in a quiet way. As the Scriptures came to life, John began to spend more and more time in prayer. To get away from the distractions of everyday life, he drifted into the desert. Thirsty to know a God that his people had come to view as a distant tradition, he stopped worrying about petty things and searched for something greater. Soon he no longer took time for meals, consumed as he was by his times of prayer. Eating some honey, with maybe a locust or two, he sought the God that no longer seemed so distant. He loved being in this solitude, removed from other people; he loved seeking this God.
Then one day, he was startled. As if in a dream, he suddenly heard a voice behind him. Afraid to turn around, he bowed his trembling head and sought comfort in the first words that came to mind, from the scroll of Isaiah. But the voice continued with authority: "Yes, you will be My voice, John; speak in the desert. Wash my people, and watch for the dove. When you see the dove, you will know that indeed I have come near to you, near to My people."
Suddenly, he felt very dirty. Looking at his clothes, he was ashamed. Without anyone to impress, he had needed no fancy clothes. Quickly he ripped off the old leather belt he used to hold on some simple garments made of camel hair and ran to the stream nearby. He plunged in, rubbing his body, wanting to be ready--to be clean--should he hear such a beautiful voice again.
He sat there in the water for a long time, never feeling clean enough, the words ringing in his ears. An excitement, an anticipation exploded in his heart! He began coming to the stream everyday, washing himself more than usual, sitting in the water and reciting Scriptures he had learned. One day a man passed by, and asked what he was doing. Before he knew it, words leapt out of him with a passion, and soon the man, too, believed that God was near, and he joined John in the water, letting it wash over him. It was more than a symbol, more than an old Jewish custom, it was the necessary response to the thought of being in the presence of something, or Someone, holy. That man felt different when he left, so of course he told some others. They met John, and then they told others. Soon that river bank became a pulpit, and John's passion was burning their hearts like the sun on the nearby desert stones! The Scriptures that had been nestled in his soul became living, real, and they sprang from his lips like fresh water, like fire, like they had a breath of their own! The truth rebounded off the rocks; they were crying out to all who had gathered! Strangers came to hear; he recognized old friends, family members, even enemies. Rich and poor, young and old, native and foreigner, soldier and priest, everyone was curious!
So it was no surprise that his cousin came. But the dove! The dove shocked him! Always he was looking for that dove, yes, waiting for that dove, expecting it...and when he finally saw it, he heard that lovely voice again! He looked at his cousin with new eyes, surprised by the recognition and the quiet power he saw in them. He hurriedly tried to explain to the people what he knew, what he saw, what he heard, but already another person was coming into the water. Oh! Where was he? Where did his cousin go?
The panic gripped him; he was so afraid of missing the one for whom he had been waiting! The crowd was enormous that day, and his frantic looks failed to discover their object. Then, like a pleasing aroma, a colorful, melodic peace settled over him. He was sure of what he had seen and heard, and he knew God was near.
Not long after that, like anyone who gained power or influence in a society strictly controled by governmental or religious laws, he was arrested. After all, the authorities feared people who felt free, valuable, alive, hopeful! They wanted stupid sheep whom they could manipulate and tax. Of course, no jail cell could smother John's passion. He had heard that his cousin had suddenly appeared out of the wilderness, that he was visiting the towns and cities, and that his message was not only one of right-living, but that God was near! His friend, Peter, descibed it to him:
"We were knee-deep in the sea with our nets, trying to catch enough fish for my family that day. It was Andrew, my brother who was with me. Everything seemed to be going wrong! We caught almost nothing; our nets got tangled. Optimisitcally, we had started early that morning, even talking about your cousin because we had heard him preach a couple of times, and we could not forget what he said. But as the sun rose higher, we stopped talking. We were hot, frustrated, and sick of fish! I felt like I was trapped in one of my own nets, barely able to provide for what my family needed, looking forward only to a future of chasing fish everyday! All seemed miserable.
"Suddenly, a voice broke the silence, shooting across the water like a whistle. As if he had read my thoughts, your cousin had walked up behind us on the shore and shouted, 'Peter, Andrew--do you want to smell like fish all your life? There are men that are caught in nets; come with me--let's chase after them instead! Maybe it was a little rash, but we were ready! We just threw down those tangled nets and went! As we pulled on some clothes, he went up the beach a little ways and called out to our partners--you know, our cousins, James and John--they were fishing with their father. Before we knew it, they were with us, leaving ol' Pop none-too-happy in the boat, just with the hired help!"
Peter took them all to his hometown, but he was pretty unconfortable at the suggestion of going to the synagogue that weekend. He had had enough of that religion stuff. Nevertheless, he had agreed to chase men who were stuck in nets, and he could think of no bigger net than religion! How quickly he forgot all that, though, when Jesus started to speak. For a few moments, he and everyone else in the room were captivated by the power that came out of this teacher's mouth in the shape of everyday words. Then, one man stood up yelling, effectively destroying the magic of the moment. Startled, Peter almost had time to wonder what to do; he had never seen that happen before in such a setting! But Jesus spoke to the man harshly, and Peter got ready to fight. He was a survivor, and his scars were not all from fishing!
All at once, the man shook--not just a shiver, but a violent convulsing! A weird scream pierced the air, and then all was calm. Peter did not understand until the whispers around him told him what had happened. There had been a demon in that man, and no one had recognized it--no one except Jesus! Even more incredible: the demon obeyed him! Who was this small-town teacher?
They went to lunch at Peter's house, where his wife had prepared the meal alone because her mother was in bed, feverish and not feeling well. Jesus seemed unafraid of such sickness, and he said he wanted to meet her anyway. As he reached out his hand to introduce himself, she stood up, apologized for the way she looked, and scurried into the next room to change clothes. Her fever was suddenly gone and she felt ten years younger!
Peter was quieter that meal than ever before, because his head was full of everything that had just happened. Healing? That really happened? Demons? They existed? He had never believed any of that stuff... They visited and ate together all day long; it seemed like a holiday celebration. It was great, but he began to feel tired and overwhelmed, so he was happy for the excuse to step outside when someone knocked at the door.
His curse and the slamming door brought Andrew running, and Peter was quick to tell them who had knocked. "The whole town is out there!" he gasped. Jesus laughed heartily and went to the door. When Peter finally fell asleep a few hours later, Jesus was still there. As though giving away trinkets to children, he healed person after person and chased out demon after demon. The people came to him crying and in agony, they left smiling or dancing or singing!
It must have lasted far into the night, because when Peter awoke early the next morning, again to a knock at the door, a lady from the neighboring town was asking him to heal her! He quickly corrected her, explaining that he was a fisherman, not a doctor, and that she had the wrong man. So naturally, she began asking for the right man, but Peter had no clue where he had gone. He needed to find out, though, because he could see more people coming his way, though the sun itself was not even awake yet!
Jesus, too, had become tired. More than sleep, though, he needed to spend time with his Dad. He had slipped out of Peter's house when the last person had been healed, leaving his hosts snoring where they had finally surrendered to sleep. He enjoyed a wonderful time of prayer with his Father. He spoke and listened, but mostly he just rested, knowing how much his Dad loved him. He told him about the healings and the demons, and about Peter and his friends and family. He listened to the silence that played a duet with his Dad's rich voice, knowing that soon another busy day would begin.
In fact, it began very soon, when Peter, James, Andrew, and John found him and burst into his peaceful hideway. They could not believe that he was up there watching the sunrise--the whole town was looking for him! They were excited; maybe he could become the mayor, and finally some things would change. Maybe they would even have some influence themselves! They could lower taxes, clean up the city, and stop living day-to-day!
He smiled at their crestfallen faces when he told them he was not going back to their house that day. He sent them back to tell Peter's family goodbye, and invited them to meet him out at the nearest village, "...if you are up for another adventure," he added, with laughing eyes. He explained to them that he was not trying to become the mayor, nor even popular or famous. "The people in these villages are still trapped in nets; they do not understand that God is near! We have to tell them!"
So off they went, and, of course, wherever he went, he healed more people and sent demons fleeing. However, it was not the adventure, nor the healing, nor even the power over demons that drew them to him. It was his compassion. For example, they were about to enter a village when they heard a cry that gave them chills of repulsion: "Unclean! Unclean!" A leper! Their skin suddenly seemed to itch and crawl, and they stepped back, not wanting to contract the horrific disease. They squinted at the man who had fallen to his knees in the distance. He wore rags where his nose used to be, and his waving hands were merely fingerless stumps.
Oddly, Jesus seemed angry, and unexpectedly, he strode ferociously toward the man, a fire kindling in his eyes. Too far away for the others to hear what was said, they nevertheless saw him boldly reach out and touch him. He touched him! They realized that Jesus felt the leprosy that was attacking the man! Aghast, they froze as Jesus peeled back the bandages that hid the devastated body. But the man was healed! He was so excited that he hugged Jesus, and then he ran over an embraced the four men paralyzed by shock. In his excitement, he ran into the village, shouting with glee, ignoring Jesus' request to keep quiet. Jesus had tears in his eyes, both still from his compassion for the man, and knowing what would follow now that his compassion was known.
Instead of going into the village, Jesus suggested they turn left, into the countryside. He knew what to expect, but his friends had no idea! They found a rock with a little bit of shade, and they sat down to eat a simple meal. As they ate, he tried to prepare them for the days ahead. More than anything, though, they would have to learn as they went. Already, on the road behind them, people were hurrying their way. They had heard that God was near, and they wanted to see for themselves--they wanted to believe it! Life as they knew it was about to change!
Location: The apartment, Sighisoara, Romania (it is nearly 1:00am on Sunday the 31st of January...)
