To My Son

My Dear Son,

Today you were baptized. You said you weren’t nervous, but you talked everyone’s ear off for ten minute before you went out, and you laughed maniacally at things that weren’t really funny, so I think you probably were nervous. I don’t blame you.

I remember when I was pregnant with you, your Auntie Karen prayed that you would grow up to love the Lord and to desire to follow Him. I remember thinking that those things were a long way off– but she was wiser than I. The years have flown, and now I look at you and I am so grateful for the people who have prayed, and who continue to pray, for you.

When you were five years old you told us that you had asked Jesus to be your Savior. You told us on one of the most difficult days of our lives– the day we found out we had lost little Elijah still in my belly. I fear that we did not rejoice enough with you that day, but your testimony to us was such an encouragement and a blessing on a day that was desperately painful. So you see that God began using your testimony from nearly the moment of your salvation to bless and encourage others. I have no doubt that He will continue to do so throughout your life, as long as you let Him.

You told me that you don’t remember much about the day you were saved, just that you prayed at lunch time after you thanked God for your food. I want you to know that I don’t believe the details of the day are really that important. The truth is that when you were five years old, you understood that you were a sinner, and that you needed a Savior. And you believed that Jesus was the only One who could be that Savior. And that is enough.

If you end up following in your parents’ footsteps and go to Bible college, you will learn that your professors like to put labels on all the different parts of salvation, and all the different things that happen when you ask Christ to save you. You will learn exciting words like justification and propitiation, and you may start to wonder, as I did, how anyone could possibly be saved as a young child when it’s just so complicated. I want to tell you, son, that it’s not complicated. The work God does in our hearts and lives is huge and amazing and so unbelievably BIG that it takes all kinds of words to try to understand it all, but you don’t need all those words to understand how to become saved. All you need is what the Bible says: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”

You did that when you were five years old. You believed. And furthermore, you still believe. You believe Him and you want to serve Him and obey Him, and that is why you were baptized today. Not to wash your sins away, not to receive some special grace, but simply to say, I belong to Jesus and I want to obey Him.

How I pray that your desire to identify with your Savior and to serve and obey Him will continue through your life. Satan will attack you, and the world will try to pull you away from the Lord, and your own flesh will betray you, but don’t be afraid of them. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. You have the Holy Spirit living within you, my son, and He is able to deliver you.

Keep walking with Jesus, my boy. Keep obeying Him and loving Him and keep your heart tender toward Him, and you will be blessed, no matter where life takes you.

I love you so much, and I am so proud of you.

I thank God whenever I remember you.

Love,

Mom