A Realization that Empowers and Encourages Ministry.

It was one of the rare occasions where all three Persons of the God-head were manifested together.  On such occasions we are prudent to pay especially close attention.  The Son is baptized, the Spirit descends in bodily from like a dove and the Father speaks.  

The words of the Father, “Thou Art my beloved Son, in Thee I am well pleased,” are powerful not just in themselves but also in their placement chronologically. The Father does not offer these after the resurrection or the cross; these are not given in response to a teaching or a miracle. In terms of the ministry Jesus had not yet done anything.

While the doctrine of Divine love may be in our heads it is often absent from our emotions or our gut-level reality. The world's system of merit-based love has so permeated our lives and experience that we project it on to God. We may not say but we feel, “God will love me if I do good and if I do it well.” Or “God loves those who accomplish great things for Him.” But as far as we know Jesus has yet to preach a sermon, teach a lesson, perform a miracle, or cast out a demon and yet the Father declares his affection and delight. What better way to begin a Ministry or for that matter a day than to start with the realization that apart from any merit of accomplishment the Father is moved by great and tender emotion?


Most of the frustration of life is built on the frustration of failing to meet expectations. Expectations that are set for us or are self-imposed, prospects of career performance, personal success, individual greatness, expected purity. Like a hamster on a wheel we exert effort but we never achieve what we hope for and therefore we live with a sense of personal disappointment and perhaps Divine rejection. Trapped by our own performance expectations we must stop, listen and make part of our very being the voice of God, “You are my precious and delightful child and I'm glad you're mine and this apart from anything you can or plan to do.”

Perhaps more than anything else your Father would just like to sit with you, talk, and tell you He loves you and is delighted that you are His child.