The Baptism of Jesus

⁹ In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved;^[h]with you I am well pleased.”

It’s always great to hear Daddy speak of his pleasure with your work. Some of us got just the right amount-not given when not deserved, but not withheld when good work was seen. Others of us suffered through a father who was never satisfied. “That was okay, but it can always be better,” followed by a string of complaints thinly disguised as constructive criticism. Still others received praise for everything we did, whether or not we did it well. As a result, we stopped striving. Why bother.

Jesus’ Father was God, but that didn’t make him any less a proud dad. He wanted to make sure that the Son understood that he was watching and pleased with what he saw. Imagine the scene-the Son stepping out of the water and the Father proudly saying “This is my Child. I love Him so very much; listen to Him!

And not just the Father. No, the Spirit also took part. The visible representation of the Father’s voice came through the opened heavens. Did He open them himself? He came as a dove met Jesus as he was baptized. What promise this gives us! He didn’t come as an eagle or hawk. He didn’t come to scavenge or throw his power around. No, he came to intercede in the life of the poor and weak, the bruised reeds that he’d promised not to break.