She Knows What She Believes

We take Deuteronomy Six seriously and do our best to talk about Jesus daily as we eat, as we pray, as we walk along the woods, as we do our schoolwork together. We fail many days as humans to live this out fully in front of our kids and they know it. But in our weaknesses, Jesus is glorified if we're humbly apologizing to each other and admitting we're nothing without Him. Still, they need to own it for themselves. It doesn't matter how often we take them to church, how much we say "grace" at dinner, they must personally receive Him into their lives and follow Him whole-heartedly by their own free-will. And so, we were thankful when our oldest girl said she and some friends had been talking a lot about baptism and she desired to show the Lord (and everyone) she was serious about Him being front and centre in her life.

Pastor Dan, her youth pastor, just had to begin with a comment about her being a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. She did a mini cheer :)

Then he asked her to share a bit of her story. She spoke with confidence about how she was raised in a Christian home but it wasn't until she began attending the evening services where our young adults' pastor talked each week, that she was moved in her heart to really believe for herself.

(Oh, how I love mentorship beyond the parental role! The Lord uses many people along the journey.)

He prayed for her life and future, for God to use her through her dance or her great personality :) or whatever He has for her. He prayed for her to remain close to Jesus.

Forty-four of her friends and family came to the church that night in support. Four little girls leaned forward on the pew as they witnessed a girl who publicly professed what she knew to be vital.

And then she went under, she with all her humanness and sin and passions and love for Jesus.

Rising up out of the water symbolized being washed clean, being alive in Christ, killing the old life through repentance (turning from your sin). Jesus commanded it but also demonstrated it for us so we'd understand better. We identify with His dying and resurrection, although He was perfect and sinless.

Meghan will begin to know in a deeper way who she really is and to Whom she really belongs as she continues to hide His Word in her heart. Yes, she'll still sin, like the rest of us, but she'll know she's been covered by the blood of a Saviour Who gave His life for her and rose again to give her eternal life. As she houses the Holy Spirit and listens for His voice, it'll be easier to make wise choices. She'll encounter tough things, salvation and baptism don't exempt her from that, but she'll know how to face trials with a God who desires to carry her through and who gives her insight on how to live.  It's not just a religion, it's relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Meghan knows what she believes and she chose to follow what He told her to do. It's that simple. It's that amazing. God will change your life forever, if you allow Him to.



Bathtub Baptism

I walked by the bathroom this morning with laundry in my arms and overheard a conversation going on between my two middle girls, who were in the tub.

"Emily, do you want to get baptized?"

I paused to hear her response.

Not surprisingly, there was a hesitation from my five year-old. Finally, she agreed and I positioned myself to be on alert for what would happen next. I had a "front row seat" through the crack of the door.

Molly continued, "You need to be baptized and if you don't want to do it at church, you can do it here. The water is MUCH deeper at church, so do you want to?" I stifled my laughter while positioning myself for a rescue.

Oliver came to my side, whining about something and just as I turned to him, I heard coughing and sputtering. I peeked back through the crack to see Emily wiping her dripping face, hair soaked with water. Molly was saying something about what a great job she did and Emily was still wiping but nodding. The two of them took turns dunking their heads and talked about practicing being baptized and how this would also teach them to be good swimmers. As many times as I had told them not to drink or put heads under dirty bath water, I couldn't help but leave them this time. The moment was priceless.

A while later, they emerged from the tub, wrapped in towels and excitedly chattering on to me about what had just taken place. Molly was mentioning the washing away of sins but that they didn't really do that--it was just practice. I smiled and asked them some more questions to see if they understood what baptism means. We had talked about it before and it amazed me what Molly, in particular, had retained. I love that they're applying what they learn at home and at church in their play.

I love the scripture in Deuteronomy 6:5-9 that says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates." This is how we know the Father better; we practice his commandments.