The Spirit and The Word

My granddaughter and her husband are getting baptized on Sunday. You better believe I will be there. I’ll go for many reasons.

When I was “baptized” as a child, it was with family and friends gathered. I, of course, don’t remember that. I had little to do with the decision to have it done. The ceremony was an expression of the hopes and desires of my family and that’s a good thing

I was baptized again nearly 60 years later. It was about family again. This time I was baptized and turned around and baptized my grandson at the same time and in the same waters. I remember that one. It’s a day I will never forget. I had been following Jesus for many years but it didn’t seem right that I had never been baptized because I wanted to do it.  Some of us thought that little Nicky was “too young” but it was his decision and the years since have proved that it was the right one. He’s proving to be a true follower of Christ.

I’ll be there Sunday because we all want our children and their children to know Jesus like we do. We just don’t know how to accomplish that. We pray. We instruct. We pester. We worry. We wonder if we are making a difference. I’m learning that it takes two things for our hopes and dreams for the young to become true: the Spirit and the Word. All we can do is expose those we love, young or not so young, to the Spirit of God and His word, not just his written word but the living expression of his word, Jesus. It’s up to the Spirit to do the rest.

I am so exited for the two being baptized. They are about to have a child. They are young in their marriage and they are teaming up with Jesus to get them through. Somebody must have done something right.

Thank you Jesus for the two of them and what you will do through them. I can’t wait to see.