And along with the Spirit, a voice: “This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.” Matthew 3:17 MSG

Every few weeks I have the pleasure of doing the stage announcements at our Pittsboro campus. I was first asked to fill in when the original announcer couldn’t make it at the last minute, and I haven’t been able to get out of it since. Ha! The first several times I did them I would forget to introduce myself–which is a pretty vital part of welcoming folks to church on a Sunday morning! To help me remember, my counterparts have taken to “hyping me up” right before I go on stage. 

“What’s your name?” Jessica. “Jessi-WHO?” JESSICA!

Fist bumping and high fiving are also involved, and the whole process really is quite effective. (Thank you, hype squad!)

Despite the most excellent hype I’ll come off stage sometimes and not be able to recall if I introduced myself. The bright stage lights and rush of adrenaline I experience each time it’s my turn make it easy to feel flustered. When I come off stage I go back to the hype squad and ask if I did, in fact, tell the good people of Chatham Church who I am before I delivered the week’s announcements. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually forgotten; I’ve done it enough times now that my brain just knows to say it now despite the on stage jitters. 

It’s important to know who we are before we’re in the spotlight, before the rush of adrenaline, before our circumstances intensify. 

The baptism of Jesus was (is!) significant. His ministry was on the verge of beginning, and immediately following the baptism he’s tested in the desert for forty days. He knew exactly what the next few years of his human life would hold. Perhaps the humanity of Jesus needed the reminder of who he was before all eyes were on him, before the miracles, before the inevitability of the cross…delivered by his own heavenly hype squad.

A message from your hype squad: you are sons and daughters of the King, chosen, and marked by His love. You are delighted in today and every day! That doesn’t change, no matter what circumstances you find yourselves in. Take that knowledge with you into this day!