Just got back from "the meeting with the Pastor."
I guess there are many reasons for those meetings...I've met with him twice since he came to our church a couple of years ago. This one involved my wife, myself...and yes, little one. She's decided that she is ready to be baptized. She has already "invited Jesus into her heart" about two years ago so, I already know I'm seeing her in Heaven.
I wondered when she would stoke up the courage to go ahead and get baptized, or dunked in the water in front of the church. For some kids...it seems they can't wait to get up there in front of people. For her...she's had some significant anxiety. Part of it is the "getting up in front of people" but that can't be everything given her ability to stand on the stage by herself and sing a song.
I think it came out one evening when she was talking to me about it. She brought it up...I never did. I wanted it to be ALL her decision. As the talk wound along, she started to ask more questions; specifically:
"What if God doesn't really exist?"
"What if someone just wrote the bible to tell people there was a God, but they were just trying to make people feel good?"
"What if they made up Jesus?"
"What's my purpose?" (not kidding)
Whoa kiddo. I haven't quite figured out those answers for myself. Let's go back to you asking if you can have a kitty.
I wish I could say I cleared it all up for her. As I recall, I said something like: "Daddy had...and HAS those same questions sometimes. I've decided to have faith that God and Jesus exist. And, you're already accomplishing your purpose right now...to be Daddy's girl. You'll find more purposes later."
Then she was off that track and wanted a drink of water.
The whole baptism thing...It's a big moment...a spiritual marker.
I was older (13) when I got dunked. I remember thinking that at that moment, I was totally pure for the first time ever. If that was true, I reasoned...then I better not ever sin again or...what a waste of a "washing." (Of course right after I came up out of the water I tried to see if I could think of anything bad...just to see if I was really "clean.") Lo and behold...I could still sin. Da...I mean darn. I didn't really understand the concept of it being a SYMBOL not a salvation moment.
Since it is such a big moment for her I'll try to make that day a really big one...
thinking of going all the way to Lubbock to eat at Joe's Crab Shack (her favorite place).
I want her to remember the day she asked Christ into her heart...
and then the day she was "buried with Christ in baptism, and raised to a new life in Him."
You'll still sin Little One...and I'll still notice them, and fret over them. But the coolest of cool things is:
He won't.
(Oh, and yes, now you can eat the bread when they pass the plate for the Lord's Supper.)
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A day to truly celebrate.I seriously cry at every baptism.Everyone of them.My big kids just roll their eyes ...
ReplyDeleteWas answering some tough questions with our 7 year old last night on Christ's death and resurrection.Stumbled over my words a bit.He looked at me and said"Why would anyone die for us?"Why indeed my little Joe.Why indeed.
Wishing you a beautiful day with your very wise and beautiful girl.
"one Lord, one faith, one baptism;"~Ephesians4:5
Glad you finally took the plunge and posted about her taking the plunge. Do they still go full on 'plunge' at your church?
ReplyDeleteI say make a game out of it, and everybody brings some balls and use a real dunk tank filled with holy water. First person to hit the target and actually dunk in the person to be baptized gets extra absolution that week.
:D
Hey...that is a great idea. That or I also thought about baptism by water balloon.
ReplyDeleteSorry you are still green.
I sat here looking at this box for quite some time. I was very pleased you dropped by my blog and left a comment. It always encourages me when you stop by. I was glad to come here to Daddyspeak and read your latest post and hopefully make a meaningful comment.
ReplyDeleteIt appears Apr 4 was your last post and I find it hard to make a comment that is encouraging, positive, and as exubureant as the others.
This is a tough subject for me. I do not want to discourage you or to "steal" any joy from your moment.
I am very slow to evangelize children and especially to baptize them. i came out of a background where children were the primary targets for both evangelism and baptism and I have seen the results - they are ugly.
I watched my own four daughters at young ages "invite Jesus in their heart" (which isn't even a biblical term or concept)and I baptized them at a young age (between 8-10)
Today I am not sure that two of the four are even believers. They live more according to their flesh than anything that resembles the Spirit. They are ego-centric and have no consideration for the glory of God.
What happened? I think my background (Independent Baptist) breeds false decisions by a number of things. First, bathed in Arminianism, I wrongly thought we made the decision to be saved and therefore pushed people and children to make decisions. I thought decisional regeneration was biblical, which it is not. Children want to do what they see other children and adults do. They want to please adults such as parents, SS teachers, etc.
We lead them in how to "pray" to ask Jesus in their heart without any understanding of sin (not sins-plural)repentance, wrath, appeasement, etc. No, I don't think you need to be a theologian to become a Christian. Yes, some children truly are made alive by the HS due to being elected by God the Father.
I think we innoculate our children from becoming believers and we make it hard for them to truly repent and trust Christ later when the HS really is working in their heart. Kids always point back to that big day mom and dad made such a big deal of when the prayed and was baptized.
So, kids grow up, leave church, get involved in sin and live a lifestyle of sin, and sometimes die. We then preach them into heaven because we are desparate that they are not in hell and their little young lives were not wasted. We kid ourselves that because they prayed a prayer (which is not a biblical concept either)at some time as a kid they must be in heaven although they became hookers, drug-addicts, thieves, whore-mongers, and lived for self at every angle and turn.
I truly trust she has been made alive by the HS and that she responded in repentance and faith and she is in fact redeemed. I trust that she will live for God and His glory all of her life.
I wonder, not having had a conversation with you face to face if I have without intention read into your ideas on baptism. Phrases like "Getting her hair wet on Sunday" "dunked in the water" "when I got dunked
It is now June so I assume she has been baptized by now. I rejoice with you, but pray hard and regular that God through the Holy Spirit because of Christ has truly redeemed her!
In Christian Love,
Gregg