I did a thing recently! At 66-1/2 years old, I got baptized and I've realized baptism is good at any age.
When I was young, I made a profession of faith and was baptized. During the 1960's, it was what all good little Baptist girls did. All my friends were doing it and I sure didn't want to go to Hell. So I walked down front, got "saved" and then got baptized. But even that wasn't "good" enough. What I had learned, or maybe what I had only heard, was that I was never going to be good enough, that I needed to "rededicate" my life over and over and over, and that I better be really afraid of God. They played on my emotions, scared me badly, and I finally decided that wasn't for me.
One of the first things I did when I was older and got out on my own was to stop going to church. What I knew was to be afraid, to constantly be in a state of guilt, and to know that if I lived my life for Him, I would give up so many of the "fun" parts of life. I didn't want or need any of that! So I quit church, turned my back on God, and lived my life the way I thought I wanted to live my life. For the next 15 years, I didn't think much about God. Don't get me wrong, I knew I was living a life not worthy of me or of God. I knew when I was doing wrong. I knew that I was sinning. But I continued to choose to live my life as I pleased.
Fast forward to 1991, two divorces and two children later, I met my husband of now going on 33 years. He had two children of his own and we knew we wanted to raise our children in the church and we wanted a new, better, stronger relationship with God. During those years, I realized I was learning about a different kind of God, a loving Father, a God who valued me as a human, a Jesus who knew me inside and out and still wanted a relationship with me. This was so new to me and it made a place deep inside of me ache for a relationship with Him. I began to grow, I began to want to walk with Jesus, I began to enjoy reading the bible. I knew I was a Christian and now I was starting a Christian walk.
About three months ago, thoughts started coming to me that I should be baptized. I tried to ignore it. After all, I'd already done that when I was young. I knew it nothing to do with salvation and I felt it wouldn't enhance my relationship with God. So I tried to forget about it. But the funny thing about God is, once He's put something in your mind, He's not going to let you forget it. It kept coming up, over and over; in bible studies, in sermons, in my thoughts. But how could I go through with a baptism at this stage of my life? I'm closer to God than I've ever been. I've learned how to enjoy quiet time with Him in the mornings. I pray for those in need. I try to live selflessly and for His glory. How would this help me or my relationship with Him? And let's just get really honest here - it would be embarrassing! What would I tell my friends at church? How would I explain it to my family? It didn't make sense.
Then one day, after talking to one of my sisters, I had a huge lightbulb moment! God was asking me to be obedient. He was asking me to do this as a symbol of my choosing to live my life in accordance to His word. He was saying to me that I had done it backwards when I was young, in that I had said all the right things and done all the right things, but then I didn't follow through on my commitment. This baptism would symbolize my saying, "God, I choose to follow your way, not because of guilt, not because of fear, but because of your love for me."
On May 26, 2024, I was baptized. I walked into that water, I chose God and His way, and I pray I live the rest of my life following as close to Him as I can get. I realized that it doesn't matter that I am 66-1/2 years old. What matters is that I was obedient. What matters is that I love the Lord and the life He has given me. What matters is that I am blessed and loved by the Creator of the Universe.
If God is asking something of you, and you don't understand, do it anyway. Do it in faith. Do it in love. Do it knowing that when you are obedient, God will bless that. And if He asks you to be baptized, at whatever age you may be, Trust and Obey!
What might God be asking of you today that you really don't understand? Could he be asking for an act of obedience, a choice of choosing Him no matter the circumstance? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Until next time,
Vickie
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