Day 7 — “This Is My Beloved Son”

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!’”

— Matthew 3:16–17 (BSB)

When Jesus was about thirty years old, it was time for His work to begin. His cousin, John the Baptist, was preaching near the Jordan River. He told people to turn away from their sins and get ready, because the King was coming. Crowds came to be baptized by him in the river.

One day, Jesus came too. John was shocked! He said, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” John knew Jesus had never sinned. But Jesus said it was the right thing to do. Jesus was showing that He was one with the people He came to save.

As Jesus came up out of the water, three amazing things happened at once. The heavens opened. The Holy Spirit came down on Him like a dove. And the voice of God the Father spoke from heaven: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”

Did you notice? In this one moment, we see the Father speaking, the Son being baptized and the Holy Spirit coming down. One God, in three persons, all together.

Now think about the words the Father spoke. When did He say them? Before Jesus had preached a single sermon, healed a single person or done a single miracle. Jesus hadn’t done any of His famous work yet. But the Father already said, “I love You. I’m pleased with You.”

The Father’s love came first. Jesus didn’t have to earn it.

This matters for you too. If you have trusted Jesus, you are God’s child, and God loves you because you belong to Jesus, not because of how well you perform. You don’t have to earn His love with good grades, winning games or being perfect. You get to live from His love, not for it.

Jesus heard those words from His Father, and then He went out to do the hardest job anyone has ever done. Knowing you’re loved gives you strength.

Think about it: How would your life be different if you believed God loves you before you do anything, not because of what you do?

Try this: Read Matthew 3:13–17. Then write down: “Because I belong to Jesus, God loves me. I don’t have to earn it.”

Dear Father, thank You for loving Jesus, and thank You that because I belong to Him, You love me too. Help me stop trying to earn Your love and start living from it. Give me strength to follow You today, knowing I am loved. In Jesus’ name, Amen.