Making God Proud

(Matthew 3: 13 - 17 below)

As I had written in my last posting, people were all coming out to John, showing repentance and being cleansed by baptism. Jesus goes out to His cousin to get the same baptism. Isn't this peculiar when you think of it? God in the flesh who needs no purification, no washing, no cleansing asks for baptism - the outward sign of a cleansed heart that is willing to repent. Why did He do it? I think it was to show that although He was God, at this moment, He was a man, and as any man needed to show His responsibility in the faith - to show the outward sign of cleansing. To show us that rituals and rites do have meaning. To link a physical action with a godly reason. To bring an activity on earth and connect it to a heavenly purpose. You see, I don't think Jesus was saying - I need the baptism to make me pure, He was saying, I need the baptism just as any man would that is to continue in the work of God. John is as humble as always when it comes to Christ - John states that not only is he not fit to baptize Jesus, that Jesus needs to baptize him. Jesus, knowing His calling and also knowing John's purpose, says no, Jesus must be baptized. And what happens when he does? He receives immediate fatherly approval from God. Not only does He receive approval, He gets the affirmation that what He was called to do is what God is pleased with.

We all have callings from God everyday to do things to link earthly action into heavenly purpose. I have not read the book, but it's out there entitled "Every Bush is Burning". From what I understand it's a metaphor of all the places, times and things that God uses to get our attention and call us for His purpose. What bushes have you seen lately that are burning? What things have you seen that God pulls you to so that you can pull the ordinary into the supernatural, the worldly into the godly, the earth into heaven? Let's all look around for those callings, doing those things that tie us to eternal servant hood to God. And we will find, God's spirit settling on us like a beautiful dove and hear His voice stating His love and approval to us. What better way to live can we find than in serving others in a heavenly purpose and hearing God say that He is pleased.


13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
15Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.
16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."