Advent Devotion - Day 19

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

God of Mercy and Compassion, you have, in your great benevolence for mankind, rescued us, by redeeming us from enslavement to the evil one and, gathering us to yourself through the sacrificial death of Jesus, Who, having washed us free from stain of sin, sanctified us with faith through baptism. Lord, thank you for blessing us with your saving and healing grace.

Anonymous by prayersandpetitions.org

Galatians 3:23-29

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. ²⁴ Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be reckoned as righteous by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, ²⁶ for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. ²⁷ As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

Do you remember your baptism? I do! It was amazing! I remember standing beside Brother Doug Melton in the baptismal font overlooking the congregation. The heater was broken, so the water was freezing, but I was too excited to notice. Brother Doug asked for anyone supporting me in my Christian walk to please stand. Hundreds of people took this covenant vow and stood in support of my baptism. We paused for a moment so that I could look around the room and witness so many familiar faces – new friends and old, family members, and Sunday school leaders – standing… for ME!

After saying a few words, Brother Doug lowered me into the water and slowly counted to three. And just as I was about to gasp for air, he raised me up and I heard the roaring applause! I can hear it and feel it right now – that moment transformed my life!

What made this moment so powerful for me was that I got to witness the body of Christ supporting me in this new chapter of my life. I can’t say I woke up the next morning and had the rest of my life figured out, but I can say my eyes and my heart were open wide! I had a new perspective on life, and I did not feel like I was making the journey alone.

Baptism makes us one in Christ and one in the body of Christ – all nations, races, ages, and gender. Let me say that again – we are ONE in Christ. During our baptism, we make a vow to live a life of discipleship and, as it states in the UM Baptismal Covenant vows, the congregation also makes a vow:

“We will surround these persons with a community of love and forgiveness, that they may grow in their trust of God, and be found faithful in their service to others. We will pray for them, that they may be true disciples who walk in the way that leads to life” (UM Book of Worship pg. 89).

How awesome is it to know we are not in this alone?! We have the strength and support of the whole Christian Church! What a relief it is to know I don’t have to figure it all out on my own.