Because Christmas fell on a Sunday I think our Pastor took advantage of the calendar to hold a special baptism service. T-rav had accepted Christ as young 11 year old boy but had never felt the need to be baptized, so he said. Being baptized doesn't get you into Heaven but as an outward showing to the world that we are anew by accepting that Christ died for us, believers in Christ are called to follow the example of Jesus and be baptized. T-rav said that he felt that he had missed the opportunity and that it wasn't that important to have it done, which looking back he will tell you that it was straight up pride. Well for some reason I felt like he needed to. Several years ago I now know that God allowed me to feel the need to pray for T-rav to be baptized (I never once told him I was praying for it) so that I would be able to witness 1st hand, AGAIN, how God answers prayer. About a month ago, after J's asking Jesus into his heart and to forgive him, T-rav said that he started really thinking about the things that he does as a model for J, especially since J has been asking so many questions. So when the opportunity to be baptized came up, he felt the call to show to J how to be a follower of Christ and to be obedient to His calling, no matter how silly it may feel to you at the time. T-rav says that if it feels silly it's more than likely your pride trying to win.
T-rav explained to J about baptism (since he would be in the audience watching his daddy take a dunk) and asked J since he had accepted Christ if he would like to be baptized too. His first reaction was no, that he didn't think God wanted him to do that right now. We let it go but told him to pray about it (the kid loves to pray, once again something he's teaching mommy to do more) and let us know if he wanted to do it. Well a few weeks later, out of nowhere he tells us that he wants to be baptized, to show people that he has the Holy Spirit living in him. Clearly he knew and was being obedient, something I wish I was a little more of.
I'm learning so much from his child-like faith.
So on Christmas morning at 11:05 am I got to stand across the pool and witness something that I never even could imagine........It was a huge blessing to be able to see this.......
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| Waiting across the pool with daddy |
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| I don't know what he was saying to T-rav but I love how he was looking up at him |
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| Be still my heart. Thank you Lord that I got to watch this 1st hand |
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| Down with the old man |
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| Up with the new. T-rav said that he felt so different, that it was hard to explain |
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| And to add to my joy, T-rav baptizing our 1st born |
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| What an amazing moment! |
This is the snippet video I took of J being baptized. We had asked him several times, including that morning if he knew why he wanted to be baptized. He made it clear to us why and was sick of being asked the same question over and over (he gets that from his mama). So right before I started the video T-rav asked J "have you accepted Jesus as your saviour?" to which J replied "yes". So when you hear him saying "yes" with annoyance in his voice, I think it was because he was so tired of us asking him. I know he was thinking "just do it already!" Why do adults make it so hard for child to come to Christ? I'm speaking to myself here.
When we got home later and were eating lunch J looked at daddy and said "thanks for baptizing me. Your like John now, you're daddy the baptist." The things he says.....too funny!
