Daily Devotional of sorts - January 11th

January 11^th: Theophany - The Feast of the Baptism of Christ, also known as Theophany, is typically celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany. It’s been a crazy few weeks so I wasn’t able to write yesterday, I apologize. This event marks the start of Jesus’s public ministry. The Gospel of Matthew records that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan river by his cousin, John the Baptist. When this happened, a loud, booming, voice came down from the heavens, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” In addition, the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove. This brings to mind the two kinds of baptism discussed in Christianity. Baptism by water and baptism by the Holy Spirit. Baptism by water is typically something a priest or pastor does to you, either by sprinkling water on your head, or being fully immersed in the water. Some denominations baptize infants and some only baptize believing adults. Personally, I think you should only be baptized if you made the decision. It is a commitment to Christ. But that’s just me. Holy Spirit baptism is more spiritual. It is something that God himself does to you. He sends the Holy Spirit to you. I have experienced things I can only describe as being baptized by the Holy Spirit. I can only describe it personally as an inexplicable feeling of peace, contentment, joy, and a desire to do good. This happened to me back in 2020 and it lead me into the spiritual revival I have been experiencing for a while. Faith doesn’t come from us, we can choose to be baptized and commit ourselves to Christ, but ultimately, faith only can come from God. God gives us our faith. He is the one who draws us in. Just like what Jesus calls St. Peter and St. Andrew to do, God is a fisher of men. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is God hooking us and reeling us in towards Him. Then He throws us back into the world so we may bring about His kingdom. It’s a momentary encounter with God that defines who we are as Christians. I truly believe that every human being will be pulled in by the Holy Spirit someday. His love is too great. It will reconcile all things together.

Prayer: Reel us all in towards You, o God. May we be inundated with your Holy Spirit. And may we be filled with the fruits of that Spirit, so that we may make the world a better place, and bring about Heaven on Earth. Amen.

“And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw God’s Spirit descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from the heavens said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” - Matthew 3:16-17 NRSVUE