Well done? or still needs to cook?

Well Done!

Were you brought up in a family that would cook steak well done? For many of you, that makes you cringe at the thought of it. I think the intention behind this was, undercooked food was a breeding ground for getting sick. It was with good intention, but I've since learned that the flavor of a good steak dimishes with the flame of the grill, if you overcook it.

On that note... Although “well done” in cooking may not be desired for some, it does have it's place in our lives, when we look at what God said about Jesus and about us, in the Well Done!

Matthew 3:17

and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

For many of us we may have read this verse and probably just moved right on by to the next one, but if we slow down, we can see it significantly has importance.

Let's back up to the previous verse, verse 16...

Matthew 3:16 (ESV)

16 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; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Wow! what an incredible moment! a oh, so holy moment, but I think we need to go one step further...because, I think that we can look at what just happened and rewrite verse 17 to say,

This is my beloved Son, with whom I’m well pleased, because of what He just did, but that’s not what His Father said.

I’m going to change the translation to the Message version for us to re-read each line with an intentional breath and a moment of pause to the next line.

Matthew 3:16-17 (The Message)

The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters,

(breathe and picture in your mind)

the skies opened up and he saw God’s Spirit— (breathe)

it looked like a dove—descending and landing on him. (breathe)

And along with the Spirit, a voice:

“This is my Son, chosen! marked by my love! the delight of my life!

This brings me to tears, when I think of how much love was on display.

Have you ever had anyone talk about you like this? or even yet, have you thought about yourself in this way? The delight of someone's life? marked by their love? belonging to someone? I think, we've had different experiences in life that we could possibly say yes to one or two of these questions. I'm wondering though, if the answer was "Yes"?, then let me ask you, was it because you DID something to have it happen?

Maybe you cleaned for someone, or how about you took someone on a surprise outing, or better yet, you called or sent a note to someone? These all sound really good, and COULD get someone to say these things about us.

Jesus had just done something very significant, I'll give you that. He got baptized! But, he didn't need to get baptized, did he? No! He did it, merely to show us what was about to happen (his death, burial and resurrection) and then what it would mean for you and me to accept his salvation.

What he did was a response to who He was. God's Son! His Father spoke because he wanted to share this moment with him. With those there as witnesses, he gave a peek as to what He and Jesus shared before this moment ever happened. God was declaring his love, not because of what Jesus did, but because of who they were together. Don't you think it would be out of place for a Father to say, in this moment with his Son, "this is my Servant, and he has done well? Would you say this to your kids in front of your friends?

This is my servant and she cleaned her room today, so I say I’m well pleased with her. Sounds kinda off to me.

Let us consider the difference of a Son and a Servant.

I love the passage in Galatians 4 (The Voice)

Listen. I am going to explain how this all works: When a minor inherits an estate from his parents, although he is the owner of everything, he is the same as a slave. 2 Until the day set by his father, the minor is subject to the authorities or guardians whom his father put in charge. 3 It is like that with us; there was a time when we were like children held under the elemental powers of this world. 4 When the right time arrived, God sent His Son into this world (born of a woman, subject to the law) 5 to free those who, just like Him, were subject to the law. Ultimately He wanted us all to be adopted as sons and daughters. 6 Because you are now part of God’s family, He sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts; and the Spirit calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 You no longer have to live as a slave because you are a child of God. And since you are His child, God guarantees an inheritance is waiting for you.

“Abba” is an address spoken by children to their fathers expressing intimacy and respect. It would not be out-of-the-question to think of it as “Dad,” or “Daddy.”

The 3 places we can find ourselves in are:

- servant or slave to sin (pre salvation)

- child (thinks they are a servant first) immature in their understanding

- sons and daughters that have grown up and now have a heart to serve

To be clear, each of these, can take different timings in an individuals life, but they are in this order. You can go through your whole life always thinking you’re a servant of God and never understanding what it means to be a son who serves.

When we accept the gift of Jesus as our Savior, we leave the “servant of sin” life. This means that we are now in the family of God and can now learn who we belong to. This new family has a Father who never leaves, that listens and just like a parent with their treasured child, they hold you. I'm hoping you get and I get that He is enough all by Himself! Then as we know this more and more, we turn and serve with Him, to those around us.

I love the verse that says, Jesus didn't come to us to be served, but to serve. He doesn't need us to serve Him.

Acts 17:25 ESV

25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

He wants us to join Him as He serves in and through you! and me! We are the instrument or vessels he uses to do this. What a priviledge to be apart of this with Him.

Let's stop trying to serve God. He doesn't need it. He says so. He wants a son/daughter who rules and reigns with Him from a posture and position of Safe, Secure, Loved and Delighted, just like Jesus does.

What do we rule and reign over with him from this position? for starters, our emotions!!!!! Those things are a killer if we live only for them. Believe me when I say that we have emotions, but don’t make your decisions in life all wrapped up in them. They are tricky! and very fickle! and they don’t always tell the truth.

I’m learning more and more that I am his beloved daughter (with full sonship rights) in whom he IS well pleased. That's who I am! not what I feel or do.

That is why we NEED to know that we are Well Done! He did it! It's finished! Now we move in our lives with hearts to serve others.

In the Father’s love,

Dayna

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