Tuesday, 20th March 1984

EACH ONE OF US IS SPECIAL

Reading: Luke 3:21-22                                 English - Raymond   Chinese - Margaret

Then one day, after the crowds had been baptized, Jesus himself was baptized; and as he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove settled upon him, and a voice from heaven said, "You are my much loved Son, yes, my delight."

Commentary                                                 Stephen

When Jesus made this special beginning in his life he showed that he was just like every other person.  He needed to be baptized.

But he also showed that he was unlike any other person - he was the Son of God.

Like Jesus, each one of us is both like and unlike other people. Like other people we have hopes, fears, loves and loyalties.  It is important for us at World Vision to remember that in some ways all people are alike.  It is wrong for us to think that a mother of a starving child in Ethiopia or Mozambique cares any less for her child than we would for one of our own.  The death of a child hurts a loving mother, no matter who she is, or where it happens.

But also, it is important for us to realise that we are each special.  Each of us is unique - one of a kind.  God confirms in us, as he did in Jesus, that there is nobody else like us.

A reporter was visiting a hospital in a refugee camp during a severe outbreak of a deadly disease.  He walked past the many beds with sick and dying children on them.  He asked the doctor, "How many survive?"  The doctor said, "Only about one in a hundred."  "Only one in a hundred?" commented the reporter, "It's not worth it."  The doctor corrected him gently, "Yes it is.  If that one child were your child it would be worth it."  We are that special to God.

If you were the only person in the universe who responded, God will still think that the life and death of Jesus, his Son, would have all been worth it.

NEWS

PRAYER (say together)
Heavenly Father, we praise you and thank you that we are so special to you.  We pray that you will help us to know clearly your special will for our lives.
In Jesus' Name we pray.  A-men