Blindsided By Baptism
I was sitting calmly in church yesterday at a local congregation where I don't usually attend. I had been doing a special Sunday School program on addictions and stayed for church. It began with a baptism. (Note: We do infant baptism in the Moravian Church.) It was the first baptism I have been to since leaving the parish ministry 23 months ago. As the pastor began praying the liturgy I was suddenly overcome. I felt sadness that I was not doing the baptism.

I was blindsided. I sure didn't expect that reaction. Just last Thursday I had met with my pastor for lunch and we talked about how I felt being out of the parish after 30 years of service. I commented that after 30 years I was reacting quite well; that God's work with me has taken me to new places that are exciting and I am really enjoying what I'm doing.

Then came the baptism. Baptism was the neatest thing I did as a pastor. I loved the baptism liturgy. Even in our old hymnal it was the best liturgy in the book. It's even better now. I was always moved beyond description at that moment after pouring the water on the child's forehead when I would place my hand on the head and say the most powerful words in our entire hymnal:

Therefore live, yet not you, but Christ live in you and the life you live live by faith in the Son of God who loved you and gave his life for you.

The power of baptism. As a symbol and as a sacrament and as an introduction into the life of Christ. Baptism doesn't "save" you, but the action of baptism is the most powerful symbol of grace that I know of. It is the most powerful witness to the God who is overwhelming in His love for us. So overwhelmed that while we were still unable to understand or respond or even come to Him in all His fullness and love He sent His son to die for us.

You can't get anymore grace-filled than that.

Here in baptism, infant baptism, is a little child who is unable to make any decisions or have any understanding of what it is that God has done. We- parents, sponsors, and church members- live grace!

So I was blindsided in church by baptism. I was blindsided by grace.

But as I think about it, that is usually what does happen. We humans don't know grace and don't expect it. It is always a surprise.

Then again, that is the way of our amazing God.