Is there anything more wonderful than a baby’s baptism? Everything about it is full of joy. The precious baby, the proud parents, the grandparents, the congregation. Everyone is smiling – no matter how grumpy they might be feeling that day.
My joy this week was seeing my grandson, Jameson, get baptized. Talk about joyful. First of all, I don’t know if I’ve mentioned that he really is the cutest baby on the planet. We’ll just start with that. Of course, there was the water, the blessings, the prayers, the smiles. We are just so thankful for this little one.
I have been a faithful church-goer for all my life. Still, sometimes my understanding of the theology of baptism eludes me. Here is a quote from my church’s website, which I think explains it pretty well:
“Baptism initiates us into a lifelong relationship with a God who loves us unconditionally. We are washed in the promise that nothing can ever separate us from God, and sealed with the power of the Spirit. Baptism promises us forgiveness and life. In the Bible, God uses water to create, to heal, to rescue those who are in trouble, to cleanse, to satisfy those who are thirsty for compassion and community. No matter how broken or disappointing our life may be, baptism assures us that God will never abandon us. Even when we die, God does not let go. We are God’s children forever.”
This is pretty darn amazing, and a wonderful reminder that we are all God’s children, and that God will never let us go.
Baptism is indeed a joy in the time of COVID. Add to that the cutest baby you ever did see, beaming out at the captivated crowd – well, that is almost too much delight for one proud grandma to take in.
We are blessed.