Water-Washed

Several weeks ago, we made the decision to baptize our three children. Not long after we returned to the United States, the boys witnessed a baptism, and expressed their desire to be baptized. We had been looking on the calendars for dates when we would both be available, and the first Sunday in Advent fit our schedules (since we serve different churches).

I've done baptisms before - enough that I'm on the second page in my journal record. I've baptized two people this year, and I know I will baptize more next year. For the weeks leading up to this past Sunday, it wasn't a big deal - in terms of being a pastor. Sunday came, and as I got to the part in the service where I was going to invite my family to come up, it hit me: This was a once-in-a lifetime ministry for them. Baptisms happen frequently, and I perform them frequently, but I would only perform them once for my own children.

Sarah's pastor asked us questions for our daughter, who could not answer for herself. I asked questions of the boys, in ways that they could understand. We poured water in the font and prayed over it. When it came time for the baptism, there were three pastors baptizing - so there were three handfuls of water, times 3 (one for each person of the Trinity). Turns out, that's a lot of water. Their heads were very wet; their clothes were wet; the carpet was wet.

Later, during communion, someone whispered to me, asking why I used so much water. I never really think about it, because I am a firm believer that we need an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. The water reminds us of the sin from which we have been cleansed - we need to see it and feel it; otherwise, it doesn't have the same impact. We are Spirit-born in baptism, but we are also water-washed. We need that sense that we are washed in God's Spirit, and to feel and experience water allows us to do that - it represents the Spirit at work in us, cleansing us and making us right with God.

We ought to take every opportunity to remember our baptism. Each time we get wet, we can sense God's presence through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us. When you swim, take a shower, wash dishes, run through a sprinkler or stroll through the mist, you can remember your baptism, and be thankful for God's amazing unconditional love. We who are baptized are children of God, and when we feel water, we remember who we are, and whose we are.