Tuesday, February 3, 2009

What Pleases God - Part 3

What Pleases God - Intro Post
What Pleases God - Part 1
What Pleases God - Part 2

At Jesus' baptism.... and a voice from heaven said, 'this is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased' Matthew 3:17

Very simply --- God was well pleased with Jesus and everything He was at that point. What's amazing to me is that this event occurs before His ministry on earth even truly began.... or I should say - the ministry as the world knows it and how it's recorded down for us now..... but Jesus' ministry began way before the world ever recognized it didn't it? God recognized His ministry way before we ever would --- because it's all about the HEART. What man can't see. It's all about the love & devotion we have toward God. THAT is what is pleasing to Him.

Let me go deeper.....

Can you imagine the countless hours Jesus spent in preparation.... building His relationship with God? I don't think He practiced preaching. I don't think He practiced healing. I think He spent time with God. I think He focused on that relationship above all other things in life....and let God work out the rest. He lived in the now.

When I was thinking about this verse in the shower I thought...... wow God spoke this to Him now at His baptism before His ministry.... which says to me.... He had been walking with God and loving Him way before He came onto the world's scene. In preparation. He had been a good steward of what God had given Him up to that point. So He would soon be given so much more.

The timing of thise verse makes it so clear to me how much God is simply pleased with our love for Him. Not with our works - because "our works" are actually HIS works. Are we so prideful to think that He will be pleased with what HE does with our lives?!?!! I just starting laughing when I thought about that.

So many people in life try to present the destinations God brought them to - like look God I did ____.... I went ___.... now you're so pleased, right? God says oh little one -- do you really think YOU did those things?

How He uses us and how the Holy Spirit changes us is not what is pleasing to Him.....(otherwise He is just pleased with Himself)...... Our love for Him is what is pleasing to Him. Our thankfulness for all He did for us is pleasing. Our embracing the process of allowing Him to live through us is what is pleasing. Not what HE does through us.

This voice from heaven didn't occur after Jesus preached one day. It didn't occur after a fabulous miracle Jesus performed. It didn't even occur right during the resurrection or crucifixion. It occured after the baptism. After the act of humble obedience from Jesus for God. After the symbol of the love and committed adoration and devoted relationship Jesus had toward God.... that was when it occured....... woah I just got the biggest goose bumps.

7 comments:

The Robles Family said...

I must say that I am enjoying your daily posts so much. It is inspiring to see your dedication to this topic. The "revelations" you are having seem so obvious when you say them out loud, but really who of us is living them? Thank you.

Randi Jo :) said...

Thanks SOO much!! :) They really are so so so basic.... but I feel I am having them revealed to me for the first time! It's such an awesome time of life! :)

can't wait to meet you all!!!!!!

Gigi said...

Hi Randi Jo...I heard about your blog from Jim at Journaling for Growth.

I've enjoyed reading your insights and look forward to visiting again!

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...

Hello, Randi Jo.

Jim asked me to check on your blog and all the best with it. Please check out my blogs. I am always looking for links.

I will comment via my satire and theology account and thekingpin68, my other blog, has a link on the satire blog.

Russ

Rebekah said...

Me too! "He is pleased by humble obedience and love and committed adoration", how beautiful and wonderful!

jeleasure said...

Hi Randi Jo,
What I have enjoyed about your blog is the desire you have to understand God.

When I consider how long you may have been a Christian, I am reminded of when I first found Christ. I was on fire. I could not get enough information. I had this little binder that I would use to write down scripture that I would find on a sign or a shirt or a church buletin. I put those verses under catagories and soon had some quick reference material for many scenerios.

Well wishes in the journey your husband and yourself are on.
Jim

jeleasure said...

Randi Jo,
As I exited this chapter of your blog, I considered having written a blog on the person of Jesus. It is entitled, The Son Became a Man Within that is a link to another post of mine called "Explain the Trinity".

I thought you may want to have some of my understanding of Jesus and His relationship with God. Actually, I feel I have something to contribute. And, as I glean understanding from others, I like to share my thoughts as if I am in a conversation.

"As iron sharpens iron, man sharpens man"