As you can see I’ve really thought about today’s passage for The Lent Project. Not because there’s anything particularly hard about it, there isn’t. I think it’s the straightforward nature of today’s situation that’s made me think. Looking at it, it’s a typical proud father moment. The Dad sees what a great young man his son is and says ‘You did good’. I think it’s the normalcy of this moment that makes it so very striking. God does not ask or tell, God just says ‘I’m proud of you’ to Jesus.
Of course there’s a miraculous component here as well as most people do not typically have the Holy Spirit descend on them like a dove. That’s pretty cool, but what comes afterwards is the interesting part for me today. This type of moment is not the type you usually share. It’s the kind of moment you have with someone when they draw you aside from the crowd to tell you how proud they are and how much they love you. The fact that we are able to witness this moment leaves me feeling a little uncomfortable. I feel like I shouldn’t be here, and yet I am. We all are.
This is an incredible thing. To open up and show us how proud he is of his son is to reveal something special. To announce this pride and love, to proclaim it to the people is in a way inviting them into the family. The fact that we are invited to witness this intimate moment it so humbling to me. For some reason God loves me. For some unknown reason God loves me enough to invite me in, chase me when I run away and wait patiently when I don’t call or write. This is not normal behavior for most people. This is a most incredible gift for which I’ll be forever grateful. But it’s not just about me, it’s about you too. God loves you. While none of us understand it completely and some of us have a hard time accepting it, God loves us. So much so that he’s willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for us. This moment when we see how much God loves his son shows us just how far God was willing to go. God loves us all and wants us to be with him, to be part of the family.
The question is, will you take him up on his invitation?
Will you say yes when he invites you in?
