I noticed something in John chapter one I haven’t noticed before. John the Baptist said twice, “I did not know Him” (vv. 31, 33). John was Jesus’ cousin and knew Him growing up, making this seem untrue, but each of these verses explain:

• “I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water” (v. 31).
• “I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit’” (v. 33).

These verses reveal the extent to which John knew Jesus before.

Before this encounter with Jesus, he revealed more ways He knew Jesus:

• “‘This was He of whom I said, “He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me”’” (v. 15).
• “He said: ‘I am “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’”’” (v. 23).
• “John answered them, saying, ‘I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose’” (vv. 26-27).

John knew some things about Jesus before the encounter, but until he really knew Him, his information was limited. He knew:

• Jesus would “be revealed to Israel.”
• He would know Jesus when he saw “the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him.”
• Jesus would come after him and be preferred before him, because Jesus existed before John.
• He was preparing the way before the LORD.
• He was unworthy to even loose Jesus’ sandals.

I imagine John was often on high alert, wondering if each day would be the day he would see the signs and know the Lord, really know Him.

Our prodigals by definition know Jesus, because they’ve had a relationship with Him, but as they live right now, they don’t know Him as the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. They are not walking in the knowing Jesus as their Savior, Deliverer, Redeemer, Justifier, Healer, ever-present help in trouble.

So, these are our prayer points. Our prodigals know Jesus on some level, but we cry out to our heavenly Father that they will know Jesus as their personal Savior, Redeemer, Justifier, Healer, Provider, Shepherd, Sanctifier, God Almighty, and ever-present help in trouble, and that they would continue to learn more and more about Him until they see Him in heaven in all of His glory!