Baptized and Free

Scripture:

Matthew 3:13-17 (The Message)

13-14 Jesus then appeared, arriving at the Jordan River from Galilee. He wanted John to baptize him. John objected, “I’m the one who needs to be baptized, not you!”

15 But Jesus insisted. “Do it. God’s work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism.” So John did it.

16-17 The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God’s Spirit—it looked like a dove—descending and landing on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.”

Observation:

Peterson's evocative translation brings to light an element of the nature of the Trinity for me. John would have Jesus focus on Jesus' own perfection, but the Son is only interested in pointing to the Father's work through the centuries. All eyes are on the Creator of the Heaven's because of this incredible theophany, but the Father is cannot contain heaven rending effusive praise for the Son. The Divine Spirit flutters beautifully, full of grace, between the two, always managing to draw more attention to where She lands and takes off from than to herself.

Application:

The kingdoms of this world say, 

"YOU are only 

powerful, beautiful, lovely and special 

so long as you have the 

allegiance, admiration, attention, and approval of others; 

so, never stop demanding, preening, posing and promoting!"

The kingdom of Heaven says, 

"you are bathed continuously in a love sufficiently profound 

to pour you out of yourself; 

so, take a look Up, In, and Out 

and celebrate what God is doing all around!"

Prayer:

Spirit of Freedom, I want to be moved by You in a way that will equip me to move in You and to move others through You. Set me free from self-obsession and turn me loose to exult in the beauty of your creative, sustaining, redeeming and exalting love all around me. Amen.