Today’s Devotion
Topic: Let It Be So For Now!
Text: Matthew 3: 13 – 15
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. Amen.
For our journey to greatness, God has ordained and established certain people, processes and situations we must go through to get to our destination. These processes do not only equip us for the journey ahead; neither do they just impart us for every good work.
They help situate our calling and mission into God’s universal plan for His people, so that every calling, gift or commissioning for good works can be traced through those processes back to it’s source (God). The processes also go to confirm our willingness to accept God’s will as One who is worthy of our trust.
This is why Jesus, knowing who He is and the mandate He carried, still went to John to be baptized. John also knew who Jesus is. He had preached Him over and over again. John had even established in his sermons that the One who comes after him (being Jesus), was greater than him. He must have been confused, then, when he saw Jesus join the queue to be baptized by him.
John tried to deter Him saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. “As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”
The Father must have been pleased that the Son had not isolated the mission given Him to reconcile men back to God, but rather submitted to the processes that situate that mission within the Father’s redemption plan promised to the prophets of old. According to prophecy, John had to prepare the way for Jesus, so Jesus had to be introduced by John. He had to come through John’s ministry to begin His.
Beloved, did you know that David was anointed king of Israel even before he went to serve Saul the incumbent in his palace (1 Sam 16)? As a matter of fact, he knew he would be a better king because the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul to him as soon as he got anointed. An evil spirit rather possessed Saul, and honestly, that is even the reason why David was brought to the palace in the first place. Yet he submitted to Saul and went through the processes God had ordained to unearth the greatness in him. At God’s appointed time, He established David on the throne, when the latter had fulfilled all righteousness regarding his training.
Brethren, we have a lot to learn from this. We must necessarily allow ourselves to submit to the people God brings our way as superiors, even if we feel we are more endowed than them. We must also allow God to lead us through the processes required for our elevation. Our mission, mandate or blessings can not be isolated from the Father’s plan for mankind.
All that we are and will be are recorded in His Word. So that the next time the devil whispers to you that you know better than your parents, leaders, head pastors and mentors so you should chart your own course and do what you feel mandated by God to do, rebuke him instantly. Then smile saying, “My soul, let it be so for now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”
Begin to pray for a humble heart that submits to all authority ordained by God that should oversee your own course unto greatness. Ask to be reminded by the Holy Spirit whenever you feel tempted to stray from God’s plan, that it is proper to allow yourself through God’s ordained processes so you can FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. The Father is pleased with all who are willing and obedient. Never forget this!
NB: EXACTLY 1 WEEK TO 4JBAND’S LAHAI CONCERT AT THE ICGC ADONAI TEMPLE, WESTLANDS (NEAR HAATSO VIDEO JUNCTION). 2PM SHARP.
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