A Pretty Big Deal

by Megan Marshman

Day 1: God’s Love, No Strings Attached

Have you ever wished that someone was obsessed with you? Okay, maybe obsessed is a little extreme; have you ever imagined someone being absolutely wild about you? Not wild about what you do for them or how talented you are, but wild about who you are. In some ways, I think that's all of our dreams, right? Whether by a significant other, a parent, or even a friend, we all have a deep desire to be loved and wanted for who we are, not for what we do. And yet, it's very rare to come across any relationship where we feel 100% loved and accepted 100% of the time.

Take a moment to watch this video, "A Pretty Big Deal":

There is a fascinating set of verses in Matthew 3 that speak to what God thinks about all this. Jesus encounters a guy named John the Baptist by the Jordan River, and Jesus asks John to baptize Him. After a bit of hesitation on John's part, John finally baptizes Jesus. As He comes out of the water, the skies part, and the voice of God rings out and says, "This is my son, whom I love; with him, I am well pleased." Sounds like a scene from a movie, right?

What makes these verses interesting is their placement so early in Jesus' ministry career. At this point in the story, Jesus has not done very much; He has not healed the sick, walked on water, or even turned water into wine, and yet God chooses this moment to affirm that Jesus is His beloved son, and God is absolutely wild about who He is.

Even before Jesus did anything incredible, God made sure that Jesus knew He was loved for who He was. Wow. Have you ever considered that God might feel the same way about you? Before you've done anything for Him, God is obsessed with who you are; His kid. Today, take a few minutes and rest in the knowledge that you are His beloved kid.