Day 19: The Faith of the Shepherds
Scripture to meditate on: Matthew 3:13-17 The Baptism of Jesus
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
As 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 alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Devotional:
For John, baptism in the Jordan was about repentance from sin – something Jesus didn’t need to do. I’m the one who needs cleaning, John was saying, not you!
And in a way that seems so confusingly familiar throughout Scripture to those who encounter Him, Jesus doesn’t disagree. He seems to say I know. That’s why I’m here.
This passage is a comforting reminder that Jesus knows what crowds our minds the moment we wake up in a hurried world, and He knows the anxious thoughts that keep us from sleep. He knows our sins, our regrets, our weaknesses, our what-ifs, and everything between.
He knows, and He came! He invited imperfect people like John, like you, like me, to build a relationship with Him. Why? So we could experience the love of God displayed for Jesus that day in the Jordan and every day after.
Jesus knows us and loves us. That’s why He came.
Questions to ponder:
- What does this passage say about God?
- What does this passage say about me or my relationships?
- What should I do in light of this passage?
