Water Baptism

     Yesterday was my 22nd birthday, and what made it so special was that my church was offering an opportunity to be water baptized during our Sunday morning experience. Usually they have it on our Wednesday night service, but when I found out that it would be on my birthday I couldn't ignore it.
     That being said, that does not mean I did not almost ignore it. In fact, when I was sitting in church Sunday about a month and a half ago and it was first announced during a video at the beginning of the service, my first thought was "no". I continued to think "It's my birthday. What if I have plans? What if I decide to go somewhere? I surely am not expected to feel obligated to get water baptized. Maybe I'll just do it the next time." Typing this it is hard to believe that was my initial reaction, but it was! I feel ashamed by those feelings now, but truthfully I don't think it is that out of the ordinary to feel this way. In our culture today (especially in my age group) we do not like to feel tied down, and we do not like to make commitments. We prefer to keep our options open and then jump at the best one that fits our schedule and fleshly desires.

     Still, I could not get it out of my mind, this 'water baptism'. It was on my birthday. Then another excuse popped into my head "Well, technically, you have already been water baptized. You shouldn't need to do it again." This is true, I thought. And yes it is true, however I was baptized in the seventh grade in the Methodist church I used to attend. At the end of our confirmation class we were given bibles with our names engraved on the front, and we were baptized. I can't say it was a voluntary deed and that I was happy to do it (in fact knowing me back then, I probably didn't even want to go to church that morning, and to be honest I cannot recall one piece of information from that class). So clearly, my heart was not in the right place.
     My time to decide was getting shorter. We had to sign up if we were to be a part of the water baptism, and when I had about a week and a half left to do so my final pathetic excuse for an excuse rang in my ears "I don't want to get baptized in front of everyone..I mean thats kind of intimidating. I don't like that kind of attention. And are they going to completely submerge me? What about my makeup? What about my hair?!" I laughed to myself as I thought this because I knew how ridiculous that thought sounded. It was at this moment I committed myself, and then announced it to my aunt and uncle. Once I did so I felt so relieved and so free! Why did it take me a little over a month just to make a simple commitment??

     As I've been studying the Bible and listening to teaching tapes, I've learned that the devil will speak nonsense into our lives to get us to believe a lie. We can know what is right in our spirit, but our flesh can want a completely different thing. The devil will attack our thought life first, because usually when we think on something a long time we end up doing it. I hadn't even tried to make plans to take a trip for my birthday, but the devil wanted me to keep this door open. When I definitely decided that I would be in town yesterday, then there was the excuse that I had already done it. When I decided that that particular event didn't really count, then he appealed to something else I cared about: my looks. When I decided that didn't really matter to me and said out loud to my family this was something I wanted to do, I felt a release and I knew I was doing the right thing.
     Yesterday was such a great, peaceful, and joyful day because of God and my family. I am so glad I didn't listen to the selfish voices in my head and I stuck to what was right. I can only imagine what blessings there are in store for me next!