Into the Muddy River – by Martin L. Smith in the Inward / Outward Together Daily
Devotion on March 17, 2020 and a reflection by Nancy Jenkins
On my phone I have saved a few emails that have special meaning for me. This
devotion from last year, “Into the Muddy River”, is from the front end of the pandemic
and is one of the “keepers” that I have gone back to read at times over the past year.
What grabs me is the thought that Jesus went into a muddy river for his baptism. While
the actual condition of the river isn’t known, I have always pictured Jesus being baptized on a beautiful sunny day with blue skies, warm temperatures, and clean, clear water.
Today as I was running errands this devotion “floated” through my mind again (pun
intended). As I drove home I thought to myself, “I need to read that devotion again.”
This is what I read:
https://inwardoutward.org/
Jesus’ reaction to John’s preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness
of sins was a crucial turning-point. He could have kept his distance, an innocent
young man conscious of unbroken faithfulness to God, looking with pity on the
thousands of ordinary people who were overwhelmed by the realization of their
own moral inadequacy. But instead of looking down on them from afar, secure in
his own guiltlessness, Jesus plunged into the waters with them and lost himself
in the crowd. He threw away his innocence and separateness to take on the
identity of struggling men and women who were reaching out en masse for the
lifeline of forgiveness.
“It was at that moment when Jesus had thrown away his innocent individuality in
exchange for that identity of needy, failed, struggling human beings that “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 3:21-22).”
Since running errands this morning, I received the dreaded and unwanted call from a
nurse at Regions Hospital regarding my mom’s biopsy yesterday. The nurse told me
that my 82 yo mom has a low-grade cancer that requires follow up treatment. I was / am
angry and “sad scared”. Amid my emotions I re-read the words above about Jesus
entering into the muddy river. Yes, the story has a different Biblical intent but today I
need and embrace the image of Jesus being in this muddied river with me and with my
struggles.
God of Muddy Rivers
Can I still give you thanks for the gift we call “today”, even with
this medical news? Thank you for the promise of your love and presence. We pray for
your peace.
Amen
