You are My Beloved

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, added to them all by shutting up John in prison.
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  Luke 3:15-22

You Are My Beloved

Did you miss the signs in the sky
the beautiful rainbow of promise
the parting clouds and the birdsong
telling you how precious you are?

Did you not know that I spoke your name
at the beginning of creation breathing
love and life into the fabric of your being
aching for you to know my love?

Have you not seen these mountains
as the faint light in the morning rises
to her brilliant zenith illumining
all the rocks and trees in every crevice?

Did you not hold you child close
smelling their sweet breath as they slept
marveling and the mystery and beauty
of all that is gracious and good in life?

Did you not step into the watery font
and die and rise again with me forever?
life remade with spirit and hope
never alone and always, always loved.