Daily Devotions
My Son
Reading for January 5: Genesis 18-20
Weekly reading for January 1-7: Matthew 1-4
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:16-17
When David suggested to Nathan the prophet that he would build a house for God, the reply from God through Nathan was that David was not going to build a house for God, but that God was going to build a house for David. God would raise up one of his descendants after him and establish for him an everlasting kingdom. And in the middle of this incredible promise to David, God added this important detail: "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son." (2 Samuel 7:14)
The second Psalm echoed this promise to David when it told of the victorious Ruler who would subdue all of God's enemies, ruling from the holy hill of Zion. The promise is made to this exalted King:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”
Psalm 2:7-9
And then Jesus comes to the Jordan river to be baptized by John. In a show of genuine humility, John tries to prevent this from happening explaining that he is not worthy to baptize Jesus. But this baptism was not about repentance or the forgiveness of sins as all of the other baptisms by John. This baptism was to fulfill all righteousness. This baptism was to reveal who Jesus really was. Jesus is not just another rabbi. This man Jesus is more than a prophet.
This is the promised seed of David!
This is the king who is to inherit an eternal throne!
This is the Son!
Father, we come before you and your only begotten Son with grateful reverence and awe. We bow before his scepter and yield our lives to the King of kings and Lord of lords.
