BELOVED

We can always take note and be

reminded that we are called to a walk of
love. We are called to express ‘love’ with
our words. If you going to give someone
a ‘piece‘ of your mind, make sure that
piece is a ‘ love-piece’.
 In fact every true gift
from the Lord operates
through love.
 “Father, glorify thy name. Then
came there a voice from heaven,
saying, I have both glorified it,
and will glorify it again.”
—John 12:28
This is the last of three remarkable
occasions during the earthly ministry
of Christ when God the Father spoke
directly from heaven concerning His
only begotten Son.
The first was at His baptism. “And lo a
voice from heaven, saying, This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased” (Matthew 3:17; also, Mark
1:11; Luke 3:22). 
Finally, the Father spoke in the words
of our text for the day, in direct
response to the prayer of His Son at
the beginning of the final week
before His crucifixion.
The message was to His Son but for
the people. Jesus said, “This voice
came not because of me, but for your
sakes” (John 12:30) as He spoke of His
imminent death on the cross.
When God spoke from heaven,
the message was to assure and
encourage His own dear ones:
John, the disciples, and Jesus
Himself.
But it has also become an
exhortation to all people for all
time. Jesus Christ is God’s Son,
and God is glorified in Him.
 ‘MY
BELOVED
SON’
A much loved
person.
 ‘I AM
PLEASED
WITH YOU’
Finally, the Father says,
“You are my beloved
Son.” We might say he
was “proud.
In the heavenly Father’s
declaration, we also hear his
love in the unashamed claim
of possession: my beloved Son.
And we see it in the setting,
that this is a public declaration,
for the ears of witnesses: “This
is my beloved Son . . .”
Most of all, we hear it in
the clause that follows: “.
. . with whom I am well
pleased.” 
WORDS OF
A FATHER
No doubt, we could name other
aspects peculiar to the father-son
relationship and love, but at least
for these three, what stands out
as common among them is the
power of the father’s words.
What is the Father’s
main action at the
transfiguration of his
Son? He speaks.
He is present, and declares,
“This is my beloved Son!”
For the ears of the
witnesses, and for the ears
of Christ himself.