“An Ocean Baptism”
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
Patricia writes:
A cute story of Baptism. A dear friend was raised another denomination and was not baptized, her beliefs did not make it necessary for her. I shared with her, prayed with her and for her, mostly realized she was watching me and how my faith in our Lord is with me every minute of everyday. Its part of me, who I am ..I was around her alot for about 2 months, when I was home I got a call. I am being Baptized, it was her..I was so excited and filled at the same time. She told me of how she gave her life to the Lord and her husband and children did. When time to be Baptised she wanted me there. When time came I could not be there, in person, in love and Spirit I was. She wss Baptized in the ocean that she loves so much. She was telling me that the ocean was rough and they had to get others out to help them be Baptized , the waves would not let them stand up and the Pastor had a hard time doing the Baptisem. Others came out to help him…So she told me of the event and we laughed. They had a hard time getting it done..but really the waves were knocking them down and they could not dunk them so it was like they were Baptized over and over by the waves and more than that family was in on that occasion..She said it was so funny to see…This was right for her.. The Lord knew it needed to be a specail one for her and because she loved the ocean ,, He made it that way for her and family..God is so good. She is a good and faithful servant…He gave her talents to help others and she does and so does her husband.. I am so filled with thankfulness the He used me to help show her Him…
Please note that the views expressed in this story are not necessarily the views of the American Bible Society. Story posted on December 25th, 2008 and filed under Bible, Praise, Your Stories, Conversions, Evangelization.
December 25th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Dear Patricia:
What an original and refreshing baptism story!
Before my baptism at St. Stephen’s Church at 18 years of age–long, long ago in Hong Kong–I wondered if I should be baptized at the South China Sea (a world’s largest ocean), so the gushing waters there could wash away my sins more thoroughly :-).
“Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38).
In the Old testament the Spirit was bestowed upon individuals, the prophets, psalmists. Here the gift is to the group of disciples, the Church.
The Baptism of the Pentecost thus inaugurates, with the love and grace of our Messianic Christ Jesus, the world-wide mission of the Church, and the fulfillment and empowerment of Matthew:29.19.
“For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:27).
How comforting it is to have the blessed assurance that “…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
Thank you for your statement, too, that “she was watching me and how my faith in our Lord is with me every minute of everyday.” For it awakens in me anew that ‘I must do what I preach.’
May GOD ALL MIGHTY Bless you and your ‘dear friend’
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2009;
GODSPEED, always and forevermore!
Mary Sun.