Happy New Year to all! I hope that your Christmas, and New Year Holiday has been one of relaxation, joy, peace, hope and filled with endless laughter and love. If you are like my family, the Christmas decorations are still going strong although I feel like every year there is some poll through social media on when people take their décor down. We usually leave the lights on through the end of January. There is something magical about the lights lighting up the darkness of the winter days.
On this Sunday we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord. Today marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. It was the starting point for all that Jesus would undertake through teaching, preaching, healing, self-giving, suffering, dying, and rising. I’m not sure about you, but if I was asked to do all that, I am not sure I would be able to.
It was not until I became an adult that I realized why Jesus asked John to be baptized. John baptizing Jesus showed the world his solidarity with humanity and gave indication of His role as Savior. Jesus consented to be counted as a sinner. He wanted to show the world the length He would go for each and every one of us. His baptism foreshadowed His death on the cross as He took the sins of the world and washed them clean. Jesus was God’s suffering servant and He accepted it willingly without complaint.
All of us have also been marked as God’s beloved sons and daughters and our identity and mission is the same as Christ’s. I have spent my entire adult life thus far working with youth in some form of Christian Ministry. One of my favorite sayings that I tell them all the time is that they are “God’s beloved and He has burned their name upon His heart.” That applies for each and every one of us. God has called us each by name as His most beloved sons and daughters and all He wants is for us to give Him our hearts and He will guide the rest of our journey.
The outward event of Jesus’ Baptism, can teach us numerous lessons that we can utilize each and every day. Some of these are that baptism is an essential part of God’s plan for all His children, as it represents the forgiveness of sin and the new life that comes from following Jesus, humility is another lesson. Jesus humbled himself so He could become like us and be baptized by John. This set the example for all of us to follow, and lastly (even though there are more than three) encouragement that we can lovingly give to everyone who we cross paths with.
So as we begin to walk in this beautiful new year, my hope and prayer for each of you is as you remember your own baptism, or working towards baptism, that you feel the love of Christ and never forget that you have been called by someone who has burned YOUR name upon His heart.
Happy New Year!
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