21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
-Luke 3:21-22 NIV
Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of his earthly ministry. As readers of the Gospels, we know what will follow this significant event over the course of the next three years. There will be radical teachings, devoted followers and disciples, miracles of healing, deliverance, provision and even resurrection. And ultimately, we know what those present at Jesus’ baptism could never have fathomed– that this same beloved Son of God and perfect Son of Man will willingly sacrifice his life in the most brutal of ways to rescue and redeem humankind from darkness.
We know how the story ends, but to those present in Luke 3, they were witnessing the beginning. And in this beginning, Jesus’ act of obedience was met with divine and supernatural celebration by the other two persons of the Trinity. In fact, God the Father declared both His affection and approval of His Son in this passage.
Now to the crowd this must have been astonishing and perplexing. It’s not everyday that heaven opens, a dove appears and God speaks audibly. This is astonishing, but also perplexing because from a worldly perspective Jesus has done nothing to invite such divine praise. He has yet to prove Himself as a great Teacher, Healer, Miracle-Worker or Messiah. He’s just Jesus the carpenter’s son. Jesus from Nazareth. Just another guy.
With no public track record of success, God declared Jesus His Son, His beloved, the source of His delight. This is how God’s love works. It’s not demonstrated only after we have proven our worth or excelled in our performance. God loves us perfectly and completely not because of what we do, but because of Who He is.
When we are certain of God’s love towards us, it changes how we react to the uncertainties of life. His love grounds us, anchors us, shapes us, informs us, and empowers us. It’s a love we must know not just philosophically or intellectually, but deeply and personally.
So today, you may be feeling pretty good about life. You may feel like you are crushing it at work or in ministry or in your home. Or you may feel stuck or frustrated with your limitations or perhaps even ashamed of your shortcomings and failures. Know this, whatever grade you would give yourself right now, whether that’s an A+ or an F… you are a child of God. You belong to Him, you are dearly loved by Him and He takes great delight in you. May this extraordinary love influence how you live more than anything else in this world.
*Want to develop the life-changing habit of reading your BIble and praying every day? Or are you looking to create more intentional space to get away from all the noise and hear God speaking to you? Learn more about the Seek First Journal and buy yours here.