A Voice in the Wilderness

Scripture

Isaiah 40:3

“A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.”

John 1:6–9

“There was a man named John who was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify about the light… He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.”

Reflection

Before Jesus stepped into public view, God sent a messenger. John didn’t look like a likely candidate. He was out in the wilderness, wearing rough clothes, eating what he could find, and preaching in a place most people avoided.

But people still came. Crowds, even.

It wasn’t John’s style that drew them. It was the message — hope was near, and the Messiah was finally on the move. God used someone who didn’t fit the mold to prepare people for the Savior.

God often does that. He works through places and people we’d never expect. He uses simple voices to point to a powerful Savior. John understood something important: the goal wasn’t to draw attention to himself but to point people toward Jesus.

Application

Think about the “wilderness places” in your world — spaces where people feel lost, tired, or overlooked. You might work with them, live near them, or sit beside them while they quietly carry pain.

Ask yourself:

• Where might God be inviting me to be a simple, faithful voice?
• Who in my life needs encouragement, truth, or an invitation to hope?

You don’t need to be eloquent or perfect. John wasn’t. You just need to be willing.

Prayer

Father, thank You for using unexpected people in unexpected places. Make me attentive to the “wilderness” around me. Give me the courage to speak hope, even in simple ways. Use my life and my voice to help someone else see the light of Jesus. Amen.