The true inaugeration

The longer that I am here in Southern California for this season of life in America the more I have come across people who worry and are filled with fear.  For some reason God let’s people open up to me about the challenges they are facing and I usually get to see beyond the masks that they put on for everyone else.  Our world seems to be doing the same thing to most of us.  I think this has partially to do with the election, where we have heard over and over from candidates and the media how bad things are in America and how each candidate will “save us” from the hell we are living in.  And it has partially to do with the sin that is so rampant in us.  We want to control every detail of every moment.  Nearly every one of us battles to trust Christ and follow His path and let peace reign in our hearts, we are pulled in so deep to things beyond our needs that we don’t even realize what our true needs are anymore.

I am glad the election is over and though I have reservations about our new president, as I have about every president.  I am relieved that it is over and that we can see the beginning of a new season rather than living in anxiety and the fear of the unknown.

Over the next three days I will be looking at this wonderful story (Luke 3:21-23) that inaugurated the “ministry” portion of Jesus’ life, His baptism.  It was His baptism that set him apart to begin a time of teaching, healing and leadership development that would change the world forever.  But, it was also His baptism that prepared Him for the ultimate challenge and victory he would face in the cross and resurrection.

Today many of us are in need of a baptism.   The word baptizo in the Greek literally means to be brought into or overwhelmed by, many of us today are looking for a place to be brought into; a place where we can go to escape the pressures of our world, a place where we can find peace and a place where we can be empowered to live another day by God’s grace for His purposes.   Though a person only needs to be physically baptized once in his or her life, we constantly need to be reminded of God’s wonderful promises for us and His powerful leadership in our lives and that we belong to Him and to each other. 

I believe the place we are searching for is not physical but it is spiritual, it is a place where we hear two powerful phrases from our heavenly father that can bring hope to all of our worry and anxiety.  “This is my son whom I love” and “With you I am well pleased.”  The next two days we will unpack the power of these phrases for our everyday lives.  May God bless you this inauguration day, to know His power and hand in your life.

 

~ by pastormc on January 20, 2009.