Last Sunday we had the privilege of celebrating new life in Christ through baptism. It is always a joy to know that Jesus has transformed a life. His work of transformation lasts a lifetime, but the moment a believer acknowledges Jesus publicly through immersion is a sacred moment. It is a time to reflect on God's goodness in loving someone into relationship with himself.
Now, the weather also made last Sunday's baptism memorable. As we began gathering at the lake, just before 2:00, the clouds also gathered. Soon there were rumbles of thunder. When we began our baptims, there was a look of urgency on the faces of the crowd. I couldn't see it, but streaks of lightning were clearly visible behind me. I did hear the thunder. It kept getting louder.
Fortunately Jesus held off on the rain, and there were no close calls with lightning strikes. I'm glad that none of us got an early trip to heaven.
We had planned to have a fun time swimming after the baptisms, but by 2:30 the rain was coming in torrents, and everyone was safely away from the beach.
Next time we baptize, I hope we all get to swim. But better than that is hearing the stories of Jesus giving life, joy and hope. That never gets old. I love displays of God's power.
