A Private Conversation

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Scripture:

And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
(Mark 1:11 NRSV)

Observation:

We are invited into a private conversation between the holy Trinity. We see the dove, the representation of the Spirit where heaven is opened up, and then we hear the voice of Father. The Father is bearing witness to the Son, who is receiving the witness, and the presence of the Holy Spirit provides confirmation. 

Application:

All of this reinforces the purpose of Mark’s gospel, which is to lift up Christ as savior, however, this is not always done in a big way. Sometimes it’s a very private and personal conversation. Too often we are looking for a spectacular visible sign to tell us who God is, or where God is, or whether Jesus really is Lord. 

The reality is that when we listen closely to the private conversation, we will discover that this is often the way in which God works. God comes to us in the quiet moments of our lives and leads us into the place of cleansing and renewal. This renewed life is a powerful testimony to the presence of Christ. Sometimes we’re looking too hard, and we miss out on the beautiful simplicity of the quiet and private conversation. 

Prayer:

Lord. Lead me in the quiet stillness of your presence. Amen. 

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