I saw this license plate while driving this week.

It read MWWK17.

I took it to mean Mark 17.

Curious, I went to my Bible and found that the license plate couldn’t have meant Mark 17 because there is no Mark 17.

Mark ends at Chapter 16.

So then I decided it had to be Mark 1:7.

“And this was his message: After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.”

“Not worthy.”

That was John the Baptist who wasn’t worthy, prophesizing in this early Chapter of Mark about the coming of Jesus.

 

A week or so ago I got one of my daily devotionals through my email that I must admit I don’t read much anymore.   It was titled the Angel of Strength.  Thinking I could maybe use a little of that right now I quickly skimmed the message.

 

First, it mentioned Paul, imprisoned in Rome, and his letter to the Philippians.  In spite of being imprisoned Paul maintained a positive perspective, ”I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Then the writer mentioned Gideon and refers to him as a “nobody” in Israel, yet Gideon was called on by the “Angel of the Lord” to save Israel from the Midianites.

The writer goes on to say that even in the Old Testament, these theophanies, these visible appearances of God were in fact, Jesus.

.

John the Baptist, “not worthy.”

Paul, down on his luck.

Gideon, a “nobody.”

 

Man, I thought, this stuff is right up my alley.

 

 

I have had a good week.

Sunday was my grandson Ethan’s birthday.

He turned four years old.

Kim, who had to work over the weekend, encouraged me at the last minute to book a flight to Florida and attend Ethan’s party.

So Friday I flew to Florida spent the weekend and returned on Monday.

It was awesome.

For the first time ever, this year I was able to attend the birthday parties of all three of my grandkids, Christian and Cameron’s in June, and Ethan’s on Sunday.

God is good.

 

I don’t ask for much.

I am not a messenger preparing the way for Jesus’ return.

I am not the most influential leader of the early or modern Christian church.

And I am not a mighty man of valor whose mission is to save a country.

And to my knowledge, I have never been visited by an Angel.

 

But I have been blessed.

I have the strength to get up every day and do the best I can.

And most importantly, I know where that strength comes from.

 

Not a sermon, just a blog.

 

Postscript:

After saving Israel Gideon lived a long and happy life.

Not so for Paul and John the Baptist who were both beheaded.

 

And the Angel of the Lord appeared to [Gideon], and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”
(Judges 6:12) 

It is written in Isaiah the prophet:  “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way. A voice of one calling in the desert “prepare a way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”  (Mark 1:2-3)

 

…as it happened to Gideon who was called to deliver Israel from the Midianites (Judges 6). Gideon was a “nobody” in Israel, but he learned, like Paul, he could do all things through Christ (the Angel of the Lord) who strengthened him.  (David Jeremiah)