Listen

At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River so that John would baptize him. John tried to stop him and said, “I need to be baptized by you, yet you come to me?”

Jesus answered, “Allow me to be baptized now. This is necessary to fulfill all righteousness.”

So John agreed to baptize Jesus. When Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up out of the water. Heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him. A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him.”

Matthew 3:13-17

Think

Who am I? This question seems simple, but the answer can get complicated. We define ourselves by our relationships: child, sibling, spouse, friend, partner, parent. And we also define ourselves by what we do: student, skater, football player, babysitter, pianist. You could create a long list like this about yourself, but it would never fully capture the true you.

When Jesus was baptized by John, an important part of his identity was revealed and affirmed. The heavens opened, the Spirit came sweeping down to rest upon Jesus, and a voice from heaven proclaimed, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him.”

Through our own baptism, we are connected with Christ in this baptismal identity. God says, “You are my child. I love you and take so much pride in you. You make me happy.” Like baptism itself, this identity isn’t something that can be earned, it doesn’t depend on our hobbies or friends. It is a gift of God’s unending love and grace.

Who am I? I am a child of God.

Meredith Forssman

Pray

God, I am still trying to figure out who I am and what my way in life is. Thank you that, in spite of that, I can rest assured in the knowledge that I am your child and you love me dearly. Amen.

Go

O holy Dove of God descending, / You are the love that knows no ending. / All of our shattered dreams You're mending: / Spirit, now live in me.

from “Spirit, Now Live in Me” by Bryan Jeffery Leech (1976)