Over Christmas break, I looked at hundreds of photos documenting the journey my family and ancestors have traveled over the years. One series of photos I glanced through recounted a journey my family would occasionally make in the summer, an afternoon getaway to Indian Foothills Park in Marshall, MO. Mom would pack a meal and we would enjoy sandwiches and other picnic foods while taking a break from playing on the park's "toys." I don't know how much plan time mom and dad made before the journey, but I'm guessing that it was a spur of the moment decision rather than one they thought and planned for several days in advance.

Today's gospel reading recounts a journey many Judean people made to see a man named John. They had been hearing the stories of a man dressed in camel hair, who enjoyed meals of locusts and honey, and who occupied his time sharing the news about his cousin who was even more powerful than he was as he baptized the crowds in the Jordan River. For some, the idea of seeing this oddity was the draw to make the journey, but for others, they were drawn there by the Holy Spirit working in their heart, asking them to step out of their comfort zone and make a journey that would change their life forever! This journey would draw them to repentance. This excursion deliberately turned their sin to righteousness as the baptismal waters were washed over them.

But how can Christ be more powerful than John? Was he referring to muscular build? Did Jesus beat John in one to many arm wrestling matches during one of those family reunions? And what did he actually mean that he wasn't worthy to even tie the thongs of his sandals? Do sandals even have thongs to tie?

John was referring to Christ's power to change us, to turn us around on the journey to self-destruction. When anger, disobedience, jealousy, or gossip become central in our life's journey, then love, obedience, help, and kindness for others become just words splattered on billboards for us to view along life's highway. We can't change ourselves, Christ changes us. He turns us around. He took all our sins as His own, dying on the cross because of them. When we were baptized, our journey changed. Jesus changed the course of the path.

And because of the respect we have for God, our adoration for the King of Kings paves the way for us to worship Him, to revere Him as the highest Lord of all.

Sometimes we still journey down a path we shouldn't be on. But then Jesus calls us with His Word again, forgives us, and points us in the right direction.

There are many journeys we make daily. Journeys to the grocery store, work, fitness center, library, school, etc. Some journeys are recorded with a photo; others just become a memory stored within us. Wherever your daily path takes you, I pray that Christ is in the driver seat and you have decided to follow the map of forgiveness and salvation laid out for you.

Enjoying the ride,

Jane