This Sunday I was Baptized.
If you’ve known me for a while that may seem odd. Let me tell you, I wasn’t expecting it either, but God has an awesome way of bringing the unexpected into our lives.
I made the decision to follow Jesus when I was eight years old. I was baptized then by my own choice, and I don’t believe it was fake or coersed or meaningless. But my life has changed drastically over the past 21 years, and I’m a much different person now than I was back then. If you remember reading the post I made last year about my faith, you know I have been going through a really low time spiritually over the past couple of years. I questioned my faith, my passion for God was all but gone, and I was struggling to connect with my former love for the church.
“It’s not about me…”
Since then God has flat out turned my life around. I’ve reconnected with him in a fresh way, found new faith, and the joy I have in my life now is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. God has helped me get rid of old sins in my life and freed me to live just for him. My actions and lifestyle may not look much different than they did before, but on the inside I’m a new man. Instead of just talking about following God I have BECOME a follower of God. Even though my life changed so much I honestly wasn’t planning to be baptized again, but on Sunday God spoke very clearly to me. He told me plainly that I needed to mark the change he has made in my life, publicly.
A couple of things that stood out to me about this decision:
- It was very humbling. I’ve been a Christian for 21 years, worked in a church, led worship, preached, and taught about God, so it was a huge step for me personally to admit that I needed to “start over” and do something most believers do when they first start following Jesus. What would my friends and family say? How would they understand? I was excited, but nervous at the same time.
- This was a very real example that I have to listen to God no matter what, even if/when it seems strange. I still believe Baptism is something you only need to do once, as long as it has meaning to you. But I also believe God clearly told me this was something I needed to do. I sought advice from my wife, my family and my pastor, and I finally accepted that I have to follow God’s call. Anything else would have been disobedience.
- It’s not about me. Baptism is unique because it’s a very personal event that’s done in a very public way. Although this was an important milestone for my faith and my life, ultimately it’s all about what GOD has done for me. If God can use me as an example to others, if I can show people the amazing freedom there is when you live only for Jesus… bring it on. I only care about following God now, not what I look like.
- If you haven’t been baptized as a Christian; if you don’t remember it, or if it had no meaning in your life – DO IT! Don’t wait around anymore. It’s time to step out and identify with your faith. Show the world what you believe.