Scripture

And a voice came from heaven saying, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”

Observation

Jesus comes from Nazareth to the Jordan to be baptised by John. As Jesus comes up from the water. The heavens open up and the Holy Spirit comes and descends upon Him in the form of a dove. A voice comes from the heavens saying “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”

Jesus then goes off into the wilderness where Satan tempts him for forty days.

Application

The accounts of the baptism of Jesus in the different gospels is a perfect text for understanding the Trinity. Here we have the Father, speaking from heaven affirming that Jesus is the Son, and the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove.

What a wonderful affirmation this was for Jesus to hear his heavenly Father speaking so warmly these words of love and acceptance over him.

One of the great social and emotional ills that befall many people, both men and women, is they lack their father’s approval or affirmation, This leads to a condition known as the orphan heart in which a person is unable to easily express love for others or to trust that they are accepted. This wreaks havoc in homes and in the church.

We all need to hear the words spoken by God the Father to Jesus and to receive them as God’s affirmation to us. “You are my beloved son or daughter and you bring me great joy.”

Listening

To know that you are loved by an earthly father is so important, It colours the way the view that people have towards me. If they perceive that their father was absent From their home or that they were emotionally cold towards them, then they feel in their hearts that I am the same towards them.

This is a lie from the evil one.

The solution is, is the spirit of sonship. Knit your heart to me. Assume in faith that I am who I say I am. Test me and see. You will know that I am a good Father, a loving Father, an awesome. God.