Hottie husband and I positioned all of our clocks ahead by one hour just before laying our heads on our pillows last night. With the prospect of losing an hour of rest, we executed an earlier bedtime, especially because our youngest son Benjamin was being baptized this morning and we knew we had a full day ahead of us.
Morning came quickly...but with the excitement of Benjamin's decision to accept Christ into his heart, we were able to swiftly move about and arrive at the church ahead of time for Benjamin to visit with Pastor Mark and prepare for baptism.
The congregation stood for worship and Pastor Mark introduced Benjamin to the church from the baptismal waters. I watched through tears of joy...a feeling of reward, an awareness of the Holy Spirit growing within my family!
Pastor Mark with Benjamin just before Benjamin's baptism
Pastor Mark: "What is your profession today Benjamin?"
Benjamin: "Jesus is Lord!"
Water baptism is a symbolic burial, by which the new Christian publicly declares they have died, and are now beginning a new life, in Christ!
But my affirmation does not end here my friends! Keep reading...
Our worship leader (I will not use his name for privacy purposes) stood in front of the church towards the end of worship and proclaimed that he is "afraid to share his faith"...
He stood raw and exposed in front of us and confided to his church family that for fifteen years he has worked side by side with non Christians and he has been afraid to share the Word of God...he asked us to pray for not only the non believers he works with, but the non believers of the world...he asked prayer for the Holy Spirit to use him to minister to these people in the appropriate way, in the appropriate times....
I cried.
I understood.
Jesus Himself was condemned for His light...
And then Pastor Mark stood center stage and Sunday's sermon was displayed on the screen behind him,
"Above Reproach"
The message of living a blameless life...spreading the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead, and that as the reigning Lord He now offers the forgiveness of sins and the liberating gifts of the Spirit to all who repent and believe. Jesus calls all who follow Him to deny themselves, take up their cross, and identify themselves with Him. The results include obedience to Christ, incorporation into His Church and responsible service in the world...
and I made a note, "a service of sharing my faith."
When people receive Christ they are born again into His kingdom and must seek not only to exhibit but also to spread its righteousness in the midst of an unrighteous world. The salvation we claim should be transforming us in the totality of our personal and social responsibilities. Faith without works is dead.
I leaned into hottie husbands ear and I softly whispered, "isn't it amazing to hear our worship leader confess that he has been afraid to share his faith, to hear his plea for courage...and this...this is the message...."
Hottie husband whispered back, "this is God, Betsy. This is a work of God."
I already knew....
And I cried, once more...
I witnessed a work of God today...
In fact, I witnessed two!
Congrats Besty! I can't wait for that day with my boys!
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