By Ann Farabee

Bear with me, as I continue to soak in the words from Mark 1:9-11. Jesus was baptized. He came straightway out of the water, and He saw the heavens open. The Spirit like a dove descended on him. A voice from heaven said, “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Wow! Just close your eyes and envision that for a second — Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens open, and the Spirit was descending on him like a dove.

Within those three verses, we see all three members of the Trinity together. What a powerful, breathtaking, and remarkable sight to envision!

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

To a mathematician, three in one may not sound mathematically correct, but the Trinity is perfection: One God. Three in One. One in Three.

At that moment, when the heavens had opened and the Spirit like a dove flew in and rested on Jesus, one of the most magnificent symbols of the beauty of peace and the power of hope, had landed on Earth.

John confirmed what had happened in John 1:32, as he said, “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it rested on him.”

Why did he say the Spirit descended like a dove?

A dove flies in a precise flight pattern. Their wings create whirling sounds as they travel at speeds up to 55 miles per hour. I wonder if, perhaps, when the Spirit like a dove descended on Jesus, maybe those standing nearby heard that whirling sound from heaven at a high rate of speed, as Jesus was preparing for his mission to save the world!

In John 1:29, John saw Jesus coming toward him, and he proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, while saying these words, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Hmmm? I noticed there is no exclamation mark at the end of that sentence, but every time I read it, whether in my mind or aloud, I read it with all capital letters, an exclamation mark, and with a loud, excited voice, like this, “BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD, WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD!”

I do not think John would mind my extra excitement, because I, too, can proclaim those very words that grab my heart and bring tears to my eyes,

Thank You, Lord, that the heavens are still open. Thank You, Lord, that the Spirit like a dove, still descends on us. Thank You, Lord, for taking away the sin of the world!

Yes, I have been soaking in these verses, because out of the Word of God flows the river of life — and for that I will be thankful now and throughout eternity.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.