Image is a photo by Eradio Valverde at the Jordan River taken 3/9/2-18
The interest of the people by now was building. They were all beginning to wonder, "Could this John be the Messiah?" But John intervened: "I'm baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I'm a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He's going to clean house - make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned." After all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized. As he was praying, the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit, like a dove descending, came down on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: "You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life." Son of Adam, Son of God." (Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22 The Message)
If you're like me, you like identifying with others. It could be a sports cap that has one of my teams on it; or hear them speaking Spanish, or seeing them at church. Identify is important and nowhere do we see God's stamp on that for us than the event that we will be celebrating this coming Sunday: The Baptism of Jesus. Yes, indeed, dear Friend, Jesus is one of us!
The photo above I took on Friday, March 9, 2018 at the Jordan River. I saw doves all around the roofs of the shelters of the river and I hoped to get a shot of a white dove in flight in honor of the verse above that speaks "of a dove descending, came down on Him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: 'You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.'" It was quite an emotional experience to be at THE place where Jesus was baptized. I thought of the crowds who came to present themselves to John the Baptist and they began to wonder if perhaps, because of his message and appearance, that maybe he was the Messiah, long awaited Savior of the Jews. John heard this and answered, "It's not me; there's one coming who is greater than me, so much so, that I'm not worthy of untying His sandal." And the message, in modern English speaks to us as we start the New Year and worry about past mistakes or errors; Jesus came "to clean house - make a clean sweep of your lives." That's comforting and scary at the same time. Jesus came to make us clean, to sweep out the evil and the bad, the very things that can kill us spiritually. And all we have to do is ask. Notice that this version says, "Everything false He'll put out with the trash to be burned." This was John's invitation to the people to be washed clean of their sins. And Who should come and walk alongside the people wanting sins out of their lives? Jesus. Jesus identified with the need of humanity to be made right with God; though He himself did not have sin in Him. But, He wanted us to know He was one of us. Through His life, He knew all about the human condition and He experienced it; but made no room in His life for the evil or bad that we too often give in to. He was the model of a life lived in faith and relationship with God.
Whatever your resolve for this New Year, it should include our desire to be made right with God through Jesus and all that He offers to us. A new life begins with a new walk with Jesus.
PRAYER: Loving God, bless the life of this dear reader; speak to their hearts and spirits and make them new in You. May the days of this new year be filled with evidence of Your power and grace. This we pray in His precious and powerful name, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
