A Father’s Blessing
I returned home to Colorado today! The trip went well and while it was hard to say goodbye to Stephanie, Nathan, Mason, Carter and McKenzie it was good to see them and experience a little “winter weather” in Georgia. Debbie and I look forward to a return visit when they are in their new home.
The connections in Atlanta and Denver went great for me. My brother and sister-in-law meet me at the airport and we returned to our home in Fort Collins by 5 p.m. with a flight that was scheduled to land in Denver at 315 p.m.
I mentioned meeting the owner of Stephanie’s property management company Dick Ruthven. I enjoyed my conversation with Dick and expressed my appreciation for the way they have supported Stephanie in her child raising years. Stephanie has been with the company for 11 years. Dick was a major league baseball player for 14 years playing for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves. He also enjoys spending time in Colorado and can’t believe a Colorado girl like Stephanie would be living in Georgia. (Before we left our meeting he joined Stephanie and me for a picture.)
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “…he [John] saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Mark 1:10,11
Mark’s gospel provides the fast moving overview of Jesus’ ministry. Unlike the other gospels no mention is made of Jesus birth or eternal existence. Some of the details of events like Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness are not recorded. The first two chapters of Mark place us at a point in Jesus ministry that other gospels take several more chapters to cover.
But one of the details of Mark, that is included in Matthew and Luke is Jesus’ baptism and the God’s voice on that occasion. These words from God the Father, to God the Son as He was beginning His ministry, I believe, are instructive and challenging to us today; especially for parents.
“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” It seems with these words the Father commissions His Son to the life and ministry that is laid out for Him in the next three years. What is of interest is that there is no specific charge like, “listen to me…obey me…seek me…don’t disappointment…” It was enough for the Jesus to know His connection to the Father, the fact that the Father loved Him and was pleased with Him. Since this was the beginning of Jesus ministry, the Father’s pleasure wasn’t based on the miracles He had performed or His teaching or the selection of His disciples. Perhaps it was His life up to this point, perhaps it was in reference to what He would do, perhaps is was neither of these. Perhaps the Father’s pleasure in the Son was not based on His performance or merit, but simply flowed out of relationship.
As a Father to his son (or daughter) there is no greater “blessing” that you can bestow than to say, “you are my child” [I will never disown you], “I love you” [I believe in you and always desire that which is best for you in life], “I am pleased with you.” [not because of what you have or have not done, but because of who you are]
Sometimes children as they grow, as they make their own decisions and don’t always make good choices. There is a difference between loving and being pleased with someone’s actions and expressing value in them as a person. Sometimes, your declaration of love and pleasure, may be a statement of faith, that declares who they can be and will be in Christ. As I boarded my plan for my trip from Atlanta to Denver their was a young man with his father who was in line to early board. The young man had some obvious development disabilities that required some special assistance. But as the father tried to say “goodbye” to his son, the son rejected him. I’m not sure of the issues for the young man or the family, but my heart went out to the father. I realize that many father’s may face that type of rejection and don’t have the comfort of the excuse that “my son has a severe mental issue.” This is where love, true love, is challenged. But with God’s help is still possible.
At the same time there are sons (daughters) who have only heard words of criticism, put downs and rejection from a father. For those it is important for them to know that there is a heavenly Father, who claims you, who loves you and is pleased with you. I like the reassurance of Psalm 27:10 “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.”
I believe the words spoken at Jesus’ baptism were not for His sake alone, but for ours as well. God the Father was setting an example for earthly father’s to follow and to remind us that we all have a heavenly Father to whom we belong, who loves us and is pleased with us.