I love the Gospel story of Jesus’ baptism—that time when he came before John at the Jordan River. John lowered Jesus into the murky waters and when Jesus broke the water’s surface, the Holy Spirit came down and the voice of God was heard, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Through God’s love and affirmation, Jesus began his earthly ministry, teaching, healing, calling people to a life grounded in love.
We, too, are met at the font with love, claimed as God’s beloved children. We spend our whole lives growing into who God sees us as.
This is not always comfortable or comforting. While baptism reminds us that there is nothing, nothing we need to do to earn God’s love, it is offered to us freely and abundantly because we are God’s heirs, the tough part is living out this baptismal truth.
It is hard remembering who, and whose we are.
You have been claimed as God’s beloved. You can choose to remember, remember who you are and live out this truth in every moment, in every breath, or you can forget, forget who and whose you are.
Remember your baptism--remember when God chose you;
Remember your baptism--remember when you chose God;
Remember your baptism--when the transforming, transfiguring power of God was manifest in your life;
Remember your baptism--when Christ claimed you and personally introduced you to God as if for the first time: "This is my sibling... I am well-pleased with them and am sending them out with a mission in the world."
Remember your baptism and be thankful,
Be thankful that you are now connected to one another through Christ, not friendships or community but through the life, death and resurrection of Christ.
Be thankful--even when you forget the promises you make to God, God remembers God's promise to you,
Be thankful--through baptism you have been given the greatest power of all--the power of the Holy Spirit.
Be thankful--there is nothing you can do to have God break relationship with you.
Remember your baptism and be thankful.
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