Walking with Jesus: Stepping into the River

Matthew 3:5–6
“Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea, and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.”

Picture it—crowds from every direction streaming toward the Jordan. Men, women, families—all stirred by the voice crying out in the wilderness. John’s message was simple, yet piercing: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

And the people believed him. They longed to be part of what God was about to do. So, they came, confessing their sins, stepping into the muddy waters, letting John lower them beneath the surface as a sign that their hearts were turning toward God.

But here’s the fascinating part: they weren’t actually entering the kingdom yet. Jesus would later say the kingdom was still to come (Mark 9:1). What they were doing was preparing—aligning their hearts, taking a step of faith that would make them ready to receive further instruction when Jesus came. The actual King was coming, and He would explain to them what this kingdom of heaven was like and why they needed a king to reign over them.

John’s call was clear: the door to the kingdom opens through repentance—a heart humbled and ready for grace. Those who came to the river didn’t yet understand all that God was doing, but their humility positioned them to recognize the King when He arrived. As Scripture says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

That truth still holds today. If I want to walk closely with Jesus, if I want to recognize Him when He shows up in my life, if I want His reign to shape how I live—it starts the same way it did for them: with a heart soft enough for God to work on.

Repentance isn’t about guilt; it’s about honesty before God. It’s about daring to ask, “Lord, show me what You see when you look in my heart.” That’s what being spiritual is all about.

That’s not easy. It’s humbling. But it’s also where transformation begins.
Because the kingdom doesn’t come to the proud—it comes to those willing to ‘step into the water’.

God keeps bringing me back to this same truth. Apparently, I really need it. Please pray that I get it!

Just a follower of Jesus,

Alan W. Harris