Come Follow Me - A Journey Through Lent

Matthew 3:13-17 The Baptism of Jesus

Count the “C” Words

Wow! The beginning of yet another “Covid” Lenten Season and its “C” words … Contact, Cure, Concern, Confine, Careful, Clean, Crazy, Cancel, Confusion, Community, Collective, Calls … no Crowds, no Cavorting, no face-to-face Conversations, no Congregating …

And yet, the precious, true, unchanging “C” words of THIS season … Christ, Calvary, Cross, Crucifixion, Celebration, Creation, Creed, Covenant, Commitment, Commission … the Certainty of God’s Great love for us …the gift of knowing we, His Cherished Children, are indeed Carved in the palm of His hand!

Today’s passage tells of Jesus’ asking the surprised and reluctant John the Baptist to baptize HIM… “Do it,” He said, “God’s work, putting things right all these Centuries, is Coming together right now” … So, John proceeded, and as Jesus Came up out of the water the heavens opened, and He heard God saying, “This is my Son, Chosen and marked by my love.” (msg)

As we seek Clarity and Clearance as to when we can meet together again, may we Carefully examine the Condition of our hearts and homes: may we have the Confident expectation of HOPE: may we Care, Connect, and Communicate with each other, saying a resounding YES to “Can we be friends?” and to Christ’s invitation to “Come, follow Me”!

Sharon Swihart