Suggested Reading: John 1:19-23, Matthew 11:7-15
In the movie, The Matrix, there is an extraordinary scene where Neo, the prophesied "One" who will save humanity from the machines but who doesn't believe that he is the One, latches onto a rope from a falling helicopter, plants his feet firmly on the roof of a skyscraper, and holds on, saving Trinity, a woman caught in the helicopter that's about to go down. The copter crashes into the building and the glass ripples out from the impact. Morpheus, the man who recruited Neo and believes in him, appears, and when Neo expresses doubts about being the One, Morpheus tells him, "There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path."
Just as Neo was conflicted about being the One, John the Baptist seemed to have some confusion about his own role. Jewish prophecy understood that Elijah would return before the messiah came. In John 1:21, John was asked by the religious leaders if he was Elijah and John flatly denied it. But Jesus, in Matthew 11:14, said this about John: And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come (NLT). John didn't seem to think he was Elijah, but Jesus confirmed that he was (and we would assume that Jesus was right). John may not have understood exactly the role he was supposed to play but that didn't seem to keep John from playing it. "There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path."
Maybe today you are confused about what God has planned for you. Maybe you are uncertain where God wants you to go or what role God wants you to play. If so, just remember that you are not required to understand your role in order to fulfill your role. Trust God. Seek God's face on a daily basis. Obey God when you hear His voice. Do the best you can, when you can, living your life totally surrendered to God and yielded to the Spirit. And even if you don't know the path you are supposed to travel, you'll end up walking it.
Just as Neo was conflicted about being the One, John the Baptist seemed to have some confusion about his own role. Jewish prophecy understood that Elijah would return before the messiah came. In John 1:21, John was asked by the religious leaders if he was Elijah and John flatly denied it. But Jesus, in Matthew 11:14, said this about John: And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come (NLT). John didn't seem to think he was Elijah, but Jesus confirmed that he was (and we would assume that Jesus was right). John may not have understood exactly the role he was supposed to play but that didn't seem to keep John from playing it. "There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path."
Maybe today you are confused about what God has planned for you. Maybe you are uncertain where God wants you to go or what role God wants you to play. If so, just remember that you are not required to understand your role in order to fulfill your role. Trust God. Seek God's face on a daily basis. Obey God when you hear His voice. Do the best you can, when you can, living your life totally surrendered to God and yielded to the Spirit. And even if you don't know the path you are supposed to travel, you'll end up walking it.
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