Day 2,217

The Proclamation 

By Adam

I've spoke in the last few days of the irony of God's providence. I doubt the Lord Himself has irony on His list of priorities, but many of the events in my life seem to look that way through my dirty lenses. When the Lord saved me at 20 years old, I came home for the summer and started bringing my mom to church. Long story short, I was worried about her as I grew in my faith. Over the years I've become better travelled through the uniqueness of God's interaction with each person. My mom has been one person in particular that has taught me a little more of God's nature, and I'm happy to say that my mom has been wrestling with God. In our culture and in the world today, people would generally say this is a bad thing, and the idea of wrestling with God, again, in our culture certainly carries a negative connotation with it. But for a Christian, this excites me. Wrestling with God and His word is the natural response a sinful human has. Sinners, by their nature, are in opposition to God, also, God's word is contrary and confrontation to our flesh. When someone starts to wrestle with these things, I have two very prayerful and hopeful thoughts... you're either saved, or about to be saved. Now I of course have no measure of qualification to decide who's a child of God and who's not, but I do have the God breathed scriptures, and wrestling is a good sign. For 2 years my mom has been feeling a tug to be baptized, and waved the white flag, and when the time and company was right, was baptized in front of her church family and the watching world. Kendall and I are so encouraged and happy for her!

(Kendall, the kids, and I were the company I was talking about) Good job Ma!

It's been a sweet time to be back in the beautiful NW. But the best scenery isn't the woods out back, it's been watching grandma Katy meet Ella Mae for the first time. It's been having Bearett with us, and watching the kids flourish. It's been the breath of fresh air the off season brings, and excitement over the growth to come. Seeing my mom with the kids has been a joy, and on top of that shes doing as well as I've see her do in years. I praise God for His goodness. But that alone would leave sinful people alienated from Him. My God is a merciful and gracious God, so much so that He sent His son to die the death I deserved. Those who are children of God have died to their sins and are made alive in Christ. We act this out through baptism by emersion, as a proclamation of faith, and a display of a spiritual reality. Dunked into the water representing death to your sin and burial. Being lifted out of the water representing your new life in Christ. 

Rebirth. Spirit filled. New creation. 

It's this reality that gives me such urgency, and yet it's in this same truth that I find my hope and peace. What a great God we serve!