READING: Numbers 30-33, Psalm 35, Luke 3
At the risk of sounding morbid, I’m intrigued by historic cemeteries. In the brief life spans of some of the deceased, you can surmise what they may have faced. The etched dates and pictures of young people are especially gripping. In some cases, the monument is so ornate that it reflects either the person’s position in life or his or her importance as others perceived it. Epitaphs inscribed in stone often tell a life story in just a few words.
It’s the latter that I think of today when I read the words the Father announced to Jesus at His baptism: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased” (Luke 3:22). These words marked the beginning of Jesus’ ministry rather than its end, but that’s particularly what catches my attention. You see, none of us will hear God say to us in the end, “With you I am well pleased” unless we choose to live in a God-pleasing way today and tomorrow. Nobody will have that kind of epitaph by accident.
I pray that every decision I make, every word I speak, every thought I have, and every action I take today would be pleasing to the Father.
PRAYER: “Father, I want to please You today. Help me.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Numbers 34-36, Luke 4
