Baptism

I'm going to get baptized.  

I got baptized by my Grandpa when I was 8. 

 It was the real deal...I remember it...I meant it, and I understood it,

 (as much as any 8 year old can mean it and understand it).

 I have always thought I was good to go....I had THAT marked off the list.

But lately, and I mean for awhile now, I have been thinking the Lord is telling me to get baptized again.

 He is not backing off, He is convicting me stronger and stronger every time the subject comes up. 

 I have given Him and anyone who will listen to me every reason I can think of that I don't need to do this.

I said to my older sis recently, that I don't want to act legalistic and do it.

I explained that I am not questioning my salvation or my relationship with the Lord.

People can get all tangled up with questioning their relationship and their

 salvation if it is based in

"activities I have done".

 For example:  We can get so tangled up with fitting into our little religious boxes of things to do and not do.....did I wear the right thing...did I think the right thoughts...did I hold my breath just right....did I raise my hand long enough when I asked Jesus into my heart...did I pray loud enough...did I really mean it, and the list goes on and on.

(Notice all the I's in that sentence...it's nothing I did...it's always about who

 HE IS AND WHAT HE DID FOR ME AND YOU.)

...and she said...

maybe by your NOT doing it, when you are clearly being asked to, you are being legalistic.  

For example: I already checked that mark off the list, and even though in my heart I know what He is telling me....I keep pointing to that time when I was 8, and the check list that is so neatly marked off.

OUCH!!!  Truth hurts sometimes. 

I can give you a few reasons why I think the Lord is asking me to do this and I can give you 100 reasons why I don't need want to....and I have discussed every single one of those with the Lord in great detail...and I keep getting the same answer....

JUST DO IT!!! 

Here is the bottom line, I feel like He's telling me to do this, and we have been learning a lot about obedience at church, and SO....I'm just going to do it because

 He said so! 

 I don't know why He is telling me to do it again, and I honestly do not WANT to...I would rather get on a plane and go to Africa...but I do want to be obedient and SO, I'm just going to

 DUNK my PRIDE and my FEAR

 and do it

HUMBLY AND AFRAID.

I have thought about Peter...and when Jesus told him to come out of the boat and walk on water with Him...Peter didn't ask 

WHY?  You didn't tell everyone else to get out of the boat!

 he just

 DID IT.

I love to encourage people to get baptized..... why would I not be willing to

 DO

 what I encourage others to

 DO.  

One last part to this...I really just want Charlie to fill up the bathtub and dunk me and I can tell the Lord,

 "THERE, I DID IT!"

BUT, I kinda know THAT is not what He means. He isn't just interested in my

 "action",

 He's interested in my heart and my obedience and apparently my transparency.

Because I went from...let's just get this done in the privacy of my own bathtub...to hey, I'll just blog about it.  

UGH!

We were discussing this very topic at Bible Study on Thursday and something that stuck out to me is this:

My walk with the Lord is very different than it was when I was 8

 (thanks be to God),

and  if this is a step of faith for me to further my relationship with Him.....

DUNK ME AGAIN!!!

Quote from Amy.  :)