We are called to be God's beloved children
WORD MADE FLESH
JOHN CONNELLY
Baptism of the Lord – January 11, 2014
Isaiah 55.1-11 | Isaiah 12 | 1 John 5.1-9| Mark 1.7-11
In Matthew 3.17, we read these words about the moment John the Baptist baptized Jesus: "Suddenly there was a voice from heaven, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.'"
The Baptism of the Lord is a profound moment, not only for Jesus, but for each one of us. It speaks to us of the reality that Jesus was and is the beloved Son of the Father. As Christians, we share in the deepest possible level with that identity. We too are now beloved sons and daughters of God our Father.
It is easy to say that this idea of being God's sons and daughters is true. It is another thing to live this truth in our lives.
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'Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.'1 John 5.1 |
Imagine for a moment if all Christians really saw themselves as beloved children of God. A people who share in the royal lineage of the King of kings. A people who share in the divine nature of Jesus through faith and Baptism.
Imagine how we would carry ourselves if we understood our call as beloved sons and daughters.
Most of us have heard that we share in the priestly, prophetic and kingly mission of Jesus. We have heard that we are beloved children of God.
But what we really need is revelation, a deep transformation of the way we see reality. We are beloved. We are being loved right now. We are called to be the love of God for all. We all need to contemplate this deeply and often.
Most of us have watched movies about great kings and queens. Royalty fascinates us. But we rarely really think of ourselves as royalty. But that is who we are – royalty. Beloved children in a kingdom of love, life, dignity, truth and mercy that will never pass away.
That kingdom is more glorious than anything we can imagine. It far surpasses the greatest kingdoms of history.
The story of King Arthur and Camelot is a myth that points to the deep longing of our hearts. We all want to sit at the round table with a great king. We want to be a part of some grand design, a kingdom that is meaningful and substantial.
We all want adventure, to fight for something worth dying for. To do so is written in our spiritual DNA. In fact, we are royal. God is our king and he loves us passionately.
Listen to St. John's words in 1 John 3.2 and let them soak in: "Beloved, we are God's children now; and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know when he appears, we shall be like him."
When he appears we shall be like him. That is a powerful life-giving truth.
Jesus, open the eyes of our hearts to our royal dignity as beloved children of God. We believe and thank you for this gift. Amen.