It was wonderful to be with Ray, Kevin, and Andrea last Sunday as they took the step to be baptized and publicly declare their faith and commitment to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It was great to see so many faces old and new as we celebrated this major step in their lives and gathered with friends and family. One of my favorite parts of the baptism were the testimonies that Ray, Kevin, and Andrea shared. There was so much that God had done in each of their lives that brought them to the moment of baptism.
As I listened to their testimonies, two things stuck out to me about each person’s story. First, I realized that Ray, Kevin, and Andrea all shared about moments where God had spoken to them clearly and they heard His voice. God had worked in each of their lives in a different way and spoke to them about very different things, but in the end all of these things pointed back to God and to baptism. Whether it was through friends, small groups, or work, God spoke clearly into each of their lives in a way that pointed them to Jesus. God spoke into questions they were wrestling with or situations they were facing. Every time, they responded by taking God’s words to heart.
My prayer is that we would all hear God that same way. There is no special status that we need in order to hear God’s voice. There are no prerequisites. God doesn’t require that we’re at a certain level of faith or holiness before He speaks to us. In fact, there are instances in the Bible where God spoke to people who didn’t even know who He was, like the eunuch from Ethiopia in Acts 8:26-40. What is most needed to hear God is a desire to have a growing relationship with Him, and the willingness to listen carefully and to be obedient to whatever God says. Ray, Kevin, and Andrea gave us wonderful testimonies about this last Sunday. Each of them heard God speak to them in different ways because they were seeking and looking for God. And when we seek, we find (Matthew 7:7-12). I pray that each of us would pay attention to God’s voice with an open heart.
Another thing that stuck out to me was the fact that God used other people to encourage and help Ray, Kevin, and Andrea on their journeys. Trusted friends came alongside each of them to speak into their lives and encourage them to get baptized. No person is a Christian alone. Baptism reminds us of that. Baptism is not only about being washed clean by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are washed clean, but we are also welcomed into the community of faith. The church exists so that no Christian would ever have to walk alone. Life-Spring exists so that no one would walk alone!
My prayer is that each person at Life-Spring would be a part of someone else’s testimony. May we be people who help lead others to Jesus and show other people what the Father is like. Whether it’s to our friends, coworkers, family, or neighbors, I pray that others would see Jesus in us and be encouraged to find Jesus for themselves. We are blessed to be a blessing, and may we as a church family bless many.