Today as I was watching my oldest daughter who is quite pregnant & her very attentive husband baptizing each other, I was moved to tears. Probably 28 people were baptized today in this amazing church. What moved me to tears? The testimonies that were shared before each baptism. These people of all ages came from all walks of life. Of course, some of the testimonies were more dramatic than others, but each, in its own right, was truly beautiful & powerful.
As the stories were told, I saw a pattern evolve. Each person was a changed person. Jesus had changed them from the inside out. Jesus = Change. If Jesus rules our hearts, I believe we are ever changing. When He walked the earth, He met people where they were, but He didn't leave them there if they followed Him. The same holds true today. He meets us where we are, & if we follow Him, we are constantly evolving into a more Christ like person.
I realized something about myself this morning. I, too, have changed. I am no longer the "stuck-in-a-rut" person I used to be. I love change. I love having new things come my way, shaking things up a bit, & navigating new territory. It's a sign of life, both refreshing & invigorating. I don't want to do "things" the same way just because that's how we've always done it. That just doesn't seem like valid reasoning to me anymore...
I want to do "things" the right way or the best way for today, not yesterday. I believe we need to evolve with our culture, & like Jesus, meet people where they are (both at church & in our personal lives). It's not that I don't enjoy traditions; I do. It's that we have to be willing to let go of our traditions so that we can evolve into what we need to be for today, to reach today's person. Sometimes our traditions, our rituals, hold us back. Thinking the way we've always thought hinders progress.
Today's stories told of change made because what people were holding onto wasn't working. I heard stories of how sin running rampantly in a person's life was no longer the answer. One young woman had been abused in every way possible. Only Jesus brought her peace. A few people had served time in prison. Jesus met them where they were & gave them new life. One man said misery lead him to Christ. With him came his 2 young daughters.
One of the Pastors in my church uses the expression "hold on loosely." It took me a while to figure out how this applied to my life. When we become attached to earthly things, even relationships, we need to hold on loosely. I think we hold on for dear life, knowing that in the blink of an eye, all could be lost. Our security can only come from knowing God. There is no such thing as earthly security.
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