I had the wonderful privilege of water baptizing my two daughters (Lizy & Dani) yesterday in the Jordan River. I don’t know about you but it usually takes awhile for things like this to set in. The magnitude of the moment sometimes overwhelms my emotions. I am hoping that my girls never forget the commitment they made to Christ this day. I am so thankful for photography that can help capture the big moments of our lives. As I am already looking back on this photo, a thought ran through my mind, “It’s more than just getting wet.” Millions of people since the time of Jesus have been getting baptized in these same waters. I watched as person after person receives their robe before going into the shower area to change in preparation for their water baptism. I believe in Baptism that spiritual change happens prior to you getting physically changed. What is it about water baptisms that makes it such a monumental moment in a persons spiritual life? I think about it as a crossover. A crossover from death to life. Baptism or Baptismo literally means burial. It’s your funeral while you are still living. It’s a declaration of what Paul says in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ, It is no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me.“ In order for Christ to live in me, I must be put to death. Only the cross of Jesus can do this. It’s a new life. But in order to recieve this new life, Christ calls me to die in His burial. When we go down into the water we are joining with Him in His death, and when we come up out of the water we are joining with Him in His life. Many people today get water baptized for many reasons. But the only reason should be... we are committing our lives to Jesus. It’s more than just getting wet.
Evangelist Jermel Mayo
Comments