This summer and fall has been a momentous one for me and my family for many reasons, positive and negative. But today, as well as earlier this summer, I was privileged to participate in baptizing my two daughters.
For those of my readers who may not be familiar with the Christian faith, baptism is a ceremony in which a person affirms his acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior, and joins himself to Christ, both in his death and burial, and in his resurrection, by which God accepted Jesus' atonement for the sins of his people. Our tradition uses immersion in water as the representation of this burial, resurrection, and washing - others use the sprinkling method which basically involves either a wet hand or a small container of water being poured on one's head. For some traditions baptism is a necessity for being accepted by God, and others it's more of a public profession of the decision you have already made.
When we had our kids, we had the intention (and indeed, the responsibility) to raise them in the faith so they could make the decision to follow Christ for themselves, rather than thinking they were saved because mom and dad took them to church and read them Bible stories. So for both my girls to decide on their own to do this, and pursue it with the church all on their own without any prompting from us parents was really an answered prayer. Many prayers for many years, actually!
So for me to be able to participate in the moment for both of them was a very great joy for me, and I am thankful to God for his kindness toward me and my children.
No comments:
Post a Comment