Loved and Well Pleased

 "You are my Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased" (Mark 1:11).

When you read this verse of Scripture in context you will observe the speaker is God the Father speaking from Heaven at Jesus' baptism.  He loves His Son and He is well pleased with Him.

If you have a son, or a daughter, you do love him or her.  A parent is not always well pleased with them though.  But when the offspring choose to follow the way they should, the parents are well pleased.

Jesus told John the Baptizer He wanted to fulfill all righteousness, therefore He wanted to be baptized even though He didn't need to be.  This made God the Father well pleased and He made sure Jesus His Son knew it and that others heard those words too.  Being so acknowledged in front of others gives a person an extra sense of truly being known and loved by those who should love them and show their care.

It doesn't hurt to let ones' children know when the parent is well pleased with them.  It's one way to show them you really do love them.  A child's doubts can be lessened and even eradicated.  When our children do what they should and then extra over and above, it makes the parents' hearts even more well pleased.

When I see my children's walk with the Lord in their adult years, it makes my heart well pleased.  There was a time earlier on while they were still in high school and university, when they so happened to be altogether that really pleased my heart.  One played the drums, one the guitar and another the piano and his own vocal chords - singing.  Oh, how the praises of Jesus they played and produced together, cheered and warmed me so that my heart sang and was well pleased.

No doubt you can think of instances when the children you love have made your hearts swell with happy gratefullness.  Thank the Lord for them.  In this way we can grasp with greater understanding how God felt that day His Son insisted on being baptized.

Heavenly Father, how Your heart must have sung as You saw Your Son Jesus being baptized, obediently fulfilling all acts of righteousness.  Your Holy Spirit and Your voice were seen and heard that day by Jesus and those others in attendance.  Thank You for letting us see too and get glimpses of this Father-Son relationship through our own earthly relationships with our children.  Help parents everywhere to not only love their children but to speak gracious words of encouragement to them especially when they are well pleased with them.  We also ask that our children will walk closely with Jesus all their days.  In Jesus' name I pray.  Amen.

                                                  ~ERC  January 2025 ~

Based on Mark 1:11.

Sing, All Our Praise and Worship, along with Destination Music.