Remember the Joy
Matthew 3:13-17
13 Then Yeshua came from the Galil to the Yarden to be immersed by Yochanan.14 But Yochanan tried to stop him. “You are coming to me? I ought to be immersed by you!”15 However, Yeshua answered him, “Let it be this way now, because we should do everything righteousness requires.” Then Yochanan let him.16 As soon as Yeshua had been immersed, he came up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, he saw the Spirit of God coming down upon him like a dove,17 and a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; I am well pleased with him.”
So many people focus on the last verse... Today I want to look at verse 15:
"Let it be this way now, because we should do everything righteousness requires."
Jesus knew that anyone in the Hebrew community who wanted to be seen as "clean" needed to participate in a mikvah. Jesus was clearly setting the example for others when He chose to ask John to immerse Him. He did not "need" to do this because He was perfect, however the other people did not yet know Who He was. John was the only one who recognized Jesus. He needed to participate to show others that He was one of them.
My personal belief is that the water does not "save" a person. God looks inside and knows the heart. He knows what your mouth professes and what your heart believes. However, being fully immersed and cleansed in water is so symbolic and should be the outward act of what a person believes inwardly.
Have you been immersed by water? Do you know you stand clean before God? If you have been immersed, stop and reflect today on what that meant to you. Take time to REMEMBER the JOY you had. Don't let the worries of this world weigh you down, but REFRESH the relationship with Adonai.
Love and blessings,
Rose
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