Our Father

Take a journey with me back to Chapter 1 of Mark...

In our illustrious small group last week, Kelly was pointing out the mystery surrounding God's emphatic statement during Jesus' baptism: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." What does it mean, God is pleased with Jesus? What is God saying here? This is one of the very few times in the Gospels (and even the New Testament as a whole) when God the Father speaks. It is of profound importance. What is going on here?

Something struck me while we were discussing these questions and ideas. "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." This is the single statement that every son wants to hear from his father. "I love you, I am pleased with you." Jonathan Eldridge spent much of his influential novel Wild at Heart explaining how every man is looking for these sentiments from his father. They are absolutely essential to the male psyche. They are basic needs of the gender. There are people out there whose whole life is defined by their desire for love and acceptance from their father.

And right there, just as Jesus is beginning his ministry, God gives his Son the two things that every young man needs from his father, boldly and powerfully, in front of a crowd of witnesses. Many, many earthly boys' troubles would be resolved by such an act. God knows exactly what his Son needs, and does it directly. It is a model for fathers to imitate - a way they can manifest his character in their lives.

When viewed in the light of its profound importance to Jesus as man (in the male sense, not the mankind sense), this statement is a send-off, a directive, an inspirational speech that calls the Son of Man to his good work. It is want every boy wants to hear his father say. It is what God is saying to every follower of Christ.