Best of Daily Reflections: Knowing Who You Are

And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”

Mark 1:11

By the time Jesus came to the Jordan River in order to be baptized, John the Baptist had already baptized hundreds if not thousands of people. Yet after Jesus emerged from the water, something unique happened. A voice from heaven called out to Jesus, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy” (1:11).

I can only begin to imagine how this voice impacted Jesus. To know that he was not just the Son of God in a royal sense, but God’s “dearly loved Son” must have been a great encouragement. Which of us wouldn’t be thrilled to learn that we bring God great joy?

Moreover, the voice from heaven made clear who Jesus was and why he was on earth. At the core of his identity was his relationship with God the Father. Yet the fact that Jesus was the Son of God almost meant that he was God’s choice for king. Jesus would fill the role of Israel’s Messiah, though in a most unexpected way.

You and I will probably never hear a voice like Jesus on that momentous day. But we too can know who we are in a way that encourages us and calls us. Romans 8 affirms that because of Jesus, we are beloved children of God. Confident in the love of our Heavenly Father, we can live boldly for his purposes, serving him in every facet of our lives. In this way we, like Jesus, can bring great joy to our Father.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What helps you to know who you are? What helps you to know that God loves you? How does the fact that you are a beloved child of God make a difference in your life?

PRAYER: What an honor and privilege, Heavenly Father, to be one of your children! Because of what Jesus did as the unique Son of God, I too can know you as my Father. I can be assured of your love for me. And in that assurance, I can serve you with my whole life.

Help me, Father, to know who I am as your child. Help me to live each day in this reality, trusting in your love and serving you with freedom and joy. Amen.

Image courtesy of Laity Lodge Youth Camp, one of our sister programs in the Foundations for Laity Renewal.