Going Down!

Baptisms make me speechless (which is why many people wish I would attend them all the time).

Seriously, I struggle to find any words that adequately describe them. But as I observed six people take their stand for Jesus a few days ago, here is what I saw:

GOOD NEWS: The truth about Jesus saving traitors and betrayers continues to be true. We don't deserve His kindness, but it is certain that He loves to extend it.

POWER: Jesus in our lives changes everything. Directions change. Desires change. Purposes change. All because He recreates us back to His original intention.

COMMUNITY: The excitement of being set free brings fellow believers to their feet, clapping their hands, and raising their arms in praise to God. I wonder what it was like in heaven - the angels must have been going crazy (decently, and in order, of course).

WORSHIP: In the end, after the testimonies - after the baptisms - after the celebration - what was left was worship. And that was enough.

They were "going down" but it was a good thing, for the eternal result occurred. There was joy!

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Romans 6.4 (ESV)