God With Us!
A reading for Wednesday, April 29, 2020: Matthew 3:13-17.
From the beginning, the presence of God was awesome and even dangerous. Moses protected Mount Sinai from the people so that they did not ascend the mountain and perish in the presence of the Almighty. Enemies of Israel were killed when the Ark of the Covenant came marching on to the battlefield. For generations, faithful men and women worried that God might one day show up for a day of judgement when all would suffer what they deserved for human sin. "God with us" was the most powerful day anyone could imagine.
John the Baptist realized Jesus was "God with us." Is it any wonder he hesitated when asked to baptize Jesus. How could he baptize the awesome and even dangerous "God with us?"
Yet, that's what happened and suddenly the power of "God with us" was equally an image of peace. A dove descended upon Jesus, to demonstrate to all that the relationship between God and human beings was repaired. "God with us" now meant love and relationship, healing and wholeness for all. Perhaps it always did... from the beginning.
Thanks be to God, we trust in an awesome God!
John would have prevented him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
John the Baptist realized Jesus was "God with us." Is it any wonder he hesitated when asked to baptize Jesus. How could he baptize the awesome and even dangerous "God with us?"
Yet, that's what happened and suddenly the power of "God with us" was equally an image of peace. A dove descended upon Jesus, to demonstrate to all that the relationship between God and human beings was repaired. "God with us" now meant love and relationship, healing and wholeness for all. Perhaps it always did... from the beginning.
Thanks be to God, we trust in an awesome God!
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