Thursday, September 9, 2010

Message from Jeff Blake, High School Teacher

Matthew 3:13-17, Matthew 4
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

Allow your eyes and thoughts to rest upon one word.

Beloved

Christ, the One we are called to emulate, allowed himself to be defined as the beloved. In a divine embrace of this defining relationship with his father, he later resists the temptations to be defined by secular definitions of importance, impressiveness, and might as illustrated in Matthew 4.

What strikes me most is Christ’s discipline of solitude which I so often fear and avoid. In solitude I come face to face with my sin, immaturity, and pain. But when I linger a bit longer and begin to sense the Divine’s embrace, I hear the word “beloved”. In these moments I realize I am miss defined. In these moments I begin to unshackle from the temptations to be important, impressive, and mighty.

In these moments my soul finds freedom. I am beloved.

3 comments:

  1. Jeff,

    Thank you for your words. Have a blessed day.

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  2. Thanks for the message - you're right on!

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  3. It is kind of scary to be "alone" with God. I know that's why my "alone time" with Him seems to fall down on my priority list at times. Yet I know that He is my strength and source of encouragement. Thank you for sharing.

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