I remember my baptism, but only in snippets. I remember the bright red hair and glowing face of the woman who was baptized before me. I remember the square-edged voice of the preacher who buried me and pulled me out. I remember that the water was warm and the light was soft. And I remember that family was there, and we went out for ice cream. Those images are priceless and peaceful to me.
Remembering baptism is important because it is a singular time of calm in the sea of life, a rough and tumble tide. John the Baptist warned the people, "I baptize you with water...He [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." What John shouted in the wilderness of Bible times is still true in the city life of modern times. The life of following Jesus will involve some trial, some hard work, and some suffering. If I had my "druthers," I'd be content to take my salvation and go merrily along my way without hardship. Seems God has other plans, other things to teach us in the shaping of our character into the image of Christ.
The good news is that we do not go it alone. We have the fellowship of the saints, the support of friends, and above all, we have God who does not leave us alone. Isaiah 43.2 promises,
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you."
Join us on Sunday to remember your baptism and to reestablish contact with the God who wants to go with you through the water and fire of life. We gather at 10:30 for worship and 9:15 for Bible study!
Reaching for my asbestos life jacket,
Pastor Gary
Long Story, Short is a weekly column I write to get you thinking about church on Sunday. If you're in the Washington, D.C. Metro area on Sundays, I invite you to join us at First Baptist Church, Gaithersburg. You can catch back issues of this column and other original pieces on my blog at www.tothelees.blogspot.com.
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