My Daughter Was Baptized

What a great night!

It was my joy to baptize 4 tonight... one of whom was my own daughter.

I wrote her a poem on behalf of her mother and I, surveying the 14 years and 10 months of life God has granted her. I asked permission and she said I could share it here. I had thoughts of reading it at our service tonight, but we were blessed to have so many unbelievers with us that I feared they might get distracted from Christ and His Gospel if I threw this in... so here it is now, primarily for my church family.

Praise God for what He has done in my eldest’s life!

On Your Baptism...
On October 1st of ’92
You entered the world of air
All “girl,” bright-eyed, dainty, sweet
With locks of golden hair
I watched you grow and saw God’s curse
Had not passed you by
When fooled by promise of God-less pleasure,
You’d rather sin and cry
Than follow Him and His Word
That path just seemed to bore you
Deceived, deluded by false delight
Like mother and father before you

And then those YEARS where outwardly
The world saw smile and joy
But inwardly, we both knew,
Brewed anger fierce and coy
Thus, in His grace, God let you see
Your sin both “crouched” and real
In your own strength He let you fight
So sin’s “sinfulness” you’d feel.
Yet, in that same grace, He also preached
Through family, friends and church
The priceless Gospel of His Son
The end of your soul’s search.
“Flee to Him! You’re dead! You’re lost!
Your only hope is Christ!
He alone can justify
By His perfect sacrifice!”

You heard the news...You felt your sin...
And then, one day, THE LIGHT!
When “facts” turned “Truth” and scales fell off
A blind girl granted sight!
To see the Saviour, not just a story
Of redemption from some vague “fall”
But, Jesus Christ, your life, your hope,
Your King, your God, your all!
And in an instant (unknown to us)
With resurrection power
Your soul was transferred to Light from Dark
Yes, in that very hour!

And tonight, my dear, like saints before
You enter the sacred wave
And humbly preach to all that watch
Your hope beyond the grave
A hope not in water, courage,
Looks or testimony true
A hope both now and future set
On Christ alone who saved you
For earthy graves await us all
Unless this Lord appears
And only He can carry young women
Through failures and their fears

Thus, may this day be just a start
To a life lived all for God
Come temporal blessings or martyrdom
Until that Day of Awe
When every soul now gathered here
With every soul on earth
Shall stand before the King of Kings
Creation’s Supreme Worth
And all “twice born” (O the grace!)
Shall be ushered to His side
And stand by Him their sins had killed
And join the swelling tide:
“Great and amazing are Your deeds
Lord God, so just and true
All Your ways are right, my God
Who cannot delight in You?!”

‘Til then, my dear, keep your eyes
Set quick on Christ your King
And trust Him no matter what the trial
Yes, trust Him for everything
And remember water does not save,
Nor going to church or giving
Only Jesus takes the dead
And instantly, makes them Living!
So to Him we entrust you now
Just like the day you were born
And should He call us first to Heav’n
We’ll wait for you on that shore

We love you, dear. And thank God for the good work He has done in you.

- Dad and Mom