On both of our trips to Israel, I was blessed to baptize some of the men and women who were traveling with us. We put on our baptism robes and walked into the Jordan River together. We stood in water about chest-deep, faced our cohorts on the shore, said the words that we say for any baptism, and then I dunked each one into the water three times. I baptize you in the name of the Father (dunk), and the Son (dunk), and the Holy Ghost (dunk). Each of them was visibly moved when they came up from the water, many of them to tears. Their tears mingled with the water on their faces and the joy in their hearts because God's presence was palpable. They were sure, I think, that God was present, just as much as any one of us was present, and that He was cheering them on! I think they believed that they were in God's hands and that they would be okay, no matter what happened in the future.
It was a powerful moment and it reminded me of a country song called "Baptism," which goes like this in part:
"The summer breeze, made ripples on the pond/Rattled through the reeds and the willow trees beyond/ Daddy in his good hat, mama in her Sunday dress/ Watched with pride, as I stood there in the water up to my chest/As the preacher spoke about the cleansing blood/I sank my toes into that East Tennessee mud/And it was down with the old man, up with the new/Raised to walk in the way of light and truth/I didn't see no angels, just a few saints on the shore/But I felt like a new born baby, cradled up in the arms of the Lord."
No doubt, being cradled in the arms of the Lord is a big part of any baptism, but it's also true that baptism is just the beginning of our journey with God. I'm sure that those who were baptized in the Jordan experienced God's love, but they were also claimed as a child of God and empowered to go forth in confidence. Some of them may have heard God saying, "This is my child, with whom I'm well pleased," but they also heard God's call to "Go on, into the wilderness, knowing that you're mine and that I'll never let you go." Baptism is a sacrament of grace, but baptism is also about empowerment and identity because all baptized Christians are kin to one another. Trusting that God is with us, we are on a journey together, following Christ, as he leads us into places where people need him, and where we can be of use.
There are many things that we could talk about concerning baptism- dunking/sprinkling, infant/adult, the reason why Christ was baptized by John, and more... but at the moment, I simply want to urge you to celebrate and lean on your own baptism as you go through life. Don't let it go. Claim your identity as a child of God as often as you need to! I want to encourage you to keep your baptism alive so that it will strengthen you and remind you of who and whose you are. Whenever Martin Luther was tempted or threatened, he would repeat these words again and again: Baptimatus Sum. Baptimatus Sum. It became his mantra. I am baptized. I am God's! Baptimatus Sum.
I don't watch a lot of movies, but I recall a movie in which Cher was being pursued by a man who wanted to have an affair with her. He was persistent, but she was resistant. Finally he asked her why, and she said, "Because I know who I am." Knowing who we are is an important and empowering thing. Knowing what we believe, what we'll do and what we won't do, and whom we belong to guides us, protects us, and reassures us. Knowing that we are God's- baptimus sum- is more than enough for our journey! I will close with a baptism song that means a lot to me. It's called "A Borning Song," and it goes like this:
It was a powerful moment and it reminded me of a country song called "Baptism," which goes like this in part:
"The summer breeze, made ripples on the pond/Rattled through the reeds and the willow trees beyond/ Daddy in his good hat, mama in her Sunday dress/ Watched with pride, as I stood there in the water up to my chest/As the preacher spoke about the cleansing blood/I sank my toes into that East Tennessee mud/And it was down with the old man, up with the new/Raised to walk in the way of light and truth/I didn't see no angels, just a few saints on the shore/But I felt like a new born baby, cradled up in the arms of the Lord."
No doubt, being cradled in the arms of the Lord is a big part of any baptism, but it's also true that baptism is just the beginning of our journey with God. I'm sure that those who were baptized in the Jordan experienced God's love, but they were also claimed as a child of God and empowered to go forth in confidence. Some of them may have heard God saying, "This is my child, with whom I'm well pleased," but they also heard God's call to "Go on, into the wilderness, knowing that you're mine and that I'll never let you go." Baptism is a sacrament of grace, but baptism is also about empowerment and identity because all baptized Christians are kin to one another. Trusting that God is with us, we are on a journey together, following Christ, as he leads us into places where people need him, and where we can be of use.
There are many things that we could talk about concerning baptism- dunking/sprinkling, infant/adult, the reason why Christ was baptized by John, and more... but at the moment, I simply want to urge you to celebrate and lean on your own baptism as you go through life. Don't let it go. Claim your identity as a child of God as often as you need to! I want to encourage you to keep your baptism alive so that it will strengthen you and remind you of who and whose you are. Whenever Martin Luther was tempted or threatened, he would repeat these words again and again: Baptimatus Sum. Baptimatus Sum. It became his mantra. I am baptized. I am God's! Baptimatus Sum.
I don't watch a lot of movies, but I recall a movie in which Cher was being pursued by a man who wanted to have an affair with her. He was persistent, but she was resistant. Finally he asked her why, and she said, "Because I know who I am." Knowing who we are is an important and empowering thing. Knowing what we believe, what we'll do and what we won't do, and whom we belong to guides us, protects us, and reassures us. Knowing that we are God's- baptimus sum- is more than enough for our journey! I will close with a baptism song that means a lot to me. It's called "A Borning Song," and it goes like this:
"I was
there to hear your borning cry/ I'll be there when you are old/I rejoiced the day you were baptized, to see your life unfold/I was there when you were but a child, with a faith to suit you well/In a blaze of light you wandered off/to find where demons dwell/When you heard the wonder of the Word/I was there to cheer you on/You were raised to praise the living Lord, to whom you now belong/If you find someone to share your time/and you join your hearts as one/I'll be there to make your verses rhyme/from dusk 'till rising sun/ In the middle ages of your life/not too old, no longer young/I'll be there to guide you through the night/complete what I've begun/When the evening gently closes in/and you shut your weary eyes/I'll be there as I have always been...with just one more surprise.” Amen.
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