Last night at church, seven children got baptized. What a beautiful service! The best part for me was that my six year old son Jake was one of them. There's such comfort in knowing that this beautiful, quirky child who lived inside of me for nine months will live forever with Jesus. I was honored to pray with both of my children as they asked Jesus to forgive them and give them new life. It will be such an adventure to see how God grows them through the adventure that will be their lives.
Jake is a unique person. At six, he knows what he wants and is not afraid to ask for it. (Cheez Its and white milk in a cup with a handle please.) He also has a funny sense of style, and you can always tell when he picks his own clothes. (Imagine shorts with cowboy boots and a pirate hat.) So when he asked to bring his swimming goggles to get baptized in, we didn't think much about it. Of course we said yes.
Unbeknownst to me, there was a little girl in the congregation last night who doesn't know much about Jesus. She's been coming on Wednesday nights with her little friend who is a member of our church. The girls' class teacher was sitting beside her during the baptismal service last night, explaining things that the little girl didn't understand. As our pastor began baptizing people, the little girl watched thoughtfully.
"I don't think I can get baptized," she finally decided.
"Why not?" her teacher asked, curious.
"Because I don't think I can close my eyes when I go under the water."
Her teacher thought about that for a moment.
"Well, you could wear goggles," she finally suggested.
The little girl looked skeptical, watching the next person get dunked and come up out of the water to joyful applause. So far, she hadn't seen anyone else up there wearing goggles.
"Are you sure?"
Her teacher shrugged. "Why not?"
Cue Jake Wallace, my sweet, funny, eccentric little boy. He was the last boy to climb the steps to the baptistery, and he tentatively stepped down into the water. Pastor smiled at him, picked him up and held him up so everyone could see him there. Wearing his brightly colored swimming goggles.
When I told him this story later in the car, an expression of wonder crossed his face that I have never seen before. Before he could even think to ask any questions about who the little girl was or how it could be that she didn't know anything about Jesus, his face said it all. He was astonished, amazed, captivated by this serendipitous revelation that God would use him, Jake Wallace, without Jake even knowing that it was happening. All Jake was doing was being his wonderful self. And God used him to speak to this little girl. Wow.
I've walked with God for over a decade now, and I know that He is faithful. I know that His promises are true. I know that in the deepest part of me. But sometimes, like last night, His attention to detail catches me off guard. This indisputable proof that He does, indeed, delight in every detail of our lives takes my breath away. He is here, right here. Right now. I am never alone. Nothing gets past Him. I needed to be reminded of that just about now. How about you?
"The LORD directs the steps of the godly; He delights in every detail of their lives."
-Psalm 37:23
Thank you for that Amy! You will never believe the work that God is actually using her for right now, to be a testimony (and source of good conviction) into her single mothers life. Thank you for allowing your son to "do Jake"
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