BAPTISM MONTH
“...unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
-John 3:5
As I write this article, I am looking at the baptismal cloth I used to wipe up all of the water that spilled over from our baptisms and reaffirmations on January 19th. Well, I should say the cloth I used to try to wipe up the water. It was completely soaked; I was just pushing water around the sides of the font. The water and spirit of God’s rebirth were everywhere.
It was my hope that our emphasis on The Baptism of our Lord in January might th
produce two or three baptisms, maybe one at each service on the 19 . On that morning, we celebrated nine baptisms - five children, two teenagers and two adults! Praise God!
What’s more we had dozens of people come forward at the end of each service to receive the blessing reaffirming their baptism. I gave them the same promise given long ago and I spoke it this way, “Child of God you have been marked by the Cross of Christ forever.” I spoke those words as I used the water to mark the cross on each forehead. That promise has two powers. First, a reminder that God had already made this spirit and water moment happen in their lives. Second, there is power in hearing God say the promise again. For all the doubts that creep in we need to
hear the promise, spoken directly to us, as often as possible.
Thanks be to God that He does that for us in worship. Can God speak to us outside of worship? Yes, you are the church wherever you go. God gives you moments to proclaim that same promise to others in your daily lives. But outside of that promise, that points directly to what God has done for you... Outside of that rebirth message God often chooses to be hidden. Our family and friends are in desperate need of getting back to weekly worship. You are God’s promise to those lost and distracted souls.
God will not be found in our success. God will not be found in club sports or talent programs. God will not be found in our pursuits of perfection. God will not be found in our carefully laid and heavily invested patterns of life. God is also often hidden, even in our most precious religious
routines. God chooses to connect with His children where He wants to be seen, in His mercy.
Forgiveness poured out at great cost to Himself in the words and sacraments of weekly worship.
I can’t wait to see what God does next January during our month of baptismal emphasis. Please continue those conversations with loved ones. I look forward to many more baptisms as 2025 unfolds.
In anticipation of what God does next,
