Baptised… me that is!
Tonight I got baptized properly - or at least properly for me. I won’t go in to a full diatribe about the theological viewpoint of baptism, and whether it should be full emersion or not, but I will say that infant baptism is simply wrong and robs someone the chance to fulfill what the scriptures intend Baptism to be.
This is what I said in my testimony tonight about my decision to be baptised, in theory, for the second time. I however do not count the one when I was 13 as either theologically correct - in my eyes - nor was it simply the right decision. I was too young and I didn’t understand what it meant.
All of this to answer a simple question; why am I getting baptized? The answer is, ironically, short and simple. Because I have finally reached a point in my life that my faith and the awareness of that faith and the meaning of it in my life, have finally come together at the same point. Put together with the fact that I am now surrounded by a community of friends who I care deeply about, and whom care about me, my Father has lead me to a point where I am now able to say to you all, look at me, I am not only a Christian among you, but I am a Christian amidst the world.
I went in to the water tonight, and came out both figuratively clean - as a show of the decision I made when I was very young, and the path I have trodden since then - and amongst a community the likes of which I have never been involved in.
It was great to have Ben and Dad there, as well as Will and Emily (Claire was there in absentia). And I’m uploading the video to my computer for my Mum to eventually have a look at (thanks so much to Chris Ford and Daniel Smith for their combined efforts to record it for me).
Thanks also go to Megan, for leading the service and the kind words she offered me while I was in the water, to Bronwyn for being my towel-girl and one of my best friends, to those who came up to speak, and to all those who showed their support of me by laying their hands on me as we all prayed at the end of the service.
Thanks also to my pastor, Matt, for walking me through this, supporting me, and being a really great pastor - despite what he may claim of himself.
Of course, my greatest thanks go to the Man that I stood up and proclaimed tonight, my Father, Savior and God. It is for Him that I knew that a) I should do this and b) that I wanted to do this. Thank you for all that you’ve given me.
I’ll attempt to get some visual-ness up here soon. I know Daniel had a photo or so, and so did Will, not to mention what I can cobble together from the video. Something will make it to YouTube soon enough.
Now, my life goes on as it did before, but now I have even more incentive to live His life for me.
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Thanks heaps for this, Josho - I’m glad that the evening was special for you. I was thinking of you and am glad to read about it now. I don’t think you’re still up now and missed your earlier email, but I’m thankful to hear how it went. Thanks from me, too, for the efforts of Chris & Daniel for doing the video - much appreciated guys! I look forward to sharing in the night via your work. And thanks to the folk at Mitcham for being there for Josh.
Keep walking - keep growing. It’s 3rd September.
Love you - Mum