On his way rejoicing
Thursday July 21st, Acts 8: 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. A new child of God was given a new life and an new direction. The Coptic church exists to this day in Ethiopia. Sometimes, when the one being baptized is a baby, it needs the whole community as a part of the family of God, to be there, lead, teach and guide. Sometimes, when God is leading the ministry, the community needs to get out of the way and let God rule. The eunuch never gave Philip a second thought, God was now in charge. He went on his way rejoicing.
posted by Dan at 3:23 PM
2 Comments:
You know, we babtize a lot of babies at COSLC that often times we never see again. Sometimes I think to myself that the promises we make to support this child's developing a relationship with God are pretty empty. Maybe this passage is the answer. Perhaps the baby is being spirited away by the Holy Spirit working through the parents so that they may individually teach the child the grace of God. ... Aw, who am I kidding? The child is being babtized under threats from the grandparents.
You are correct on point one and you are correct on point two. The preferred way is that the child and parents stay in the congregation and there the child grows up welcomed and loved. The parents are welcomed and loved and all that brings in other family and friends who also hear the word of God and feel welcomed and loved. Sometimes we see the child again later. With all the welcoming and loving, the parents feel more welcomed and at the rivers and lakes and stores and shores and the child sometimes learns about God there, and sometimes does not. Eventually, the grandparents or the thoughts of the grandparents bring them back as the child gets older. They show up for Sunday School sometimes. Then again, sometimes we never see the child again. Who knows how God is working in their lives. All we can do in each case is to pray. Perhaps some day we need a chronicler who can do some follow-up on those who have been baptized and what they are doing now and where they are and most importantly, letting them know they are being prayed for. Yes, sometimes it is just the grandparents, but who knows what other doors God has opened for that child and perhaps for our congregation at the same time. Bottom line…. All who come forward and ask for baptism are baptized and we are called to do our best in that child’s life and we also trust in God that God will not abandon that child where ever they may go.
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