A Strong Base

And a voice from heaven said, ”This is my Son, whom I love: with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17 NIV

Before Jesus started on his public ministry, he was baptized by John. After Jesus came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit, as a dove, alighted on him and God, the Father, spoke.  First, he affirmed that Jesus was his son, a relationship which fundamentally bound the Father and Son together.  Next, he professed his love for his Son.  Love is the most important and strongest attachment that people can have. Finally, the Father said that he was pleased with his Son.  Even before Jesus called his disciples, even before he went to the cross, the Father said that he was pleased with him.

As a base for any interactions I may have with other people, I need to remember that I am God’s child, that he loves me and that he is pleased with me, not  because of my actions, but because of my willingness to be his follower. If I am ministering out of a sense of obligation or fear, I won’t be able to share the Good News of God’s love, grace and mercy in a way that resonates with others. I need to meditate on the close binding love that God has for me, and that he is pleased with me because of my faith in him.