It occurred to me when I woke up this morning.
As the first thoughts were drifting in, something triggered a memory. Lo and behold there it was, the fact that something momentous took place on Saturday 19th February 1994 in Mill Road Baptist Church in Wellingborough. At some point in the afternoon/evening, Elder Pink and Deacon Dryden officiated over my baptism.
It took place at that facility, although we were not part of the Baptist denomination. They kindly allowed us to use their pool for the occasion.
There I was, a 16-year old boy expressing in public my disassociation with the world and my allegiance with God. There I was with enough sense to know what I was doing and why I wanted to do it, but not with the sense to truly know what I was doing and the consequences of it. There I was a little nervous on the occasion, but not really feeling anything that momentous about it. I certainly didn’t feel anything after the baptism happened. No goosebumps, no radical vision of the heavens parting and a voice calling me. Not even the sense of feeling ‘spiritually cleansed’ or rising to new life. None of that. I did feel that I did the right thing. As I said, though, I didn’t fully count the cost of that public declaration.
25 years on would I do things differently? I certainly am a lot more informed about what’s going on and the significance of that act. My appreciation for the place that baptism has in the journey of faith has deepened and I am fascinated seeing other baptisms take place and people’s engagement with it.
I wouldn’t change things though. There was a necessity to me going through the journey I went through and it has a significant impact on how I look at the journey others take where that is concerned.
Typing this now, I don’t think I’ve ever been in love with Jesus as I am now. That’s a weighty thing for me to say considering, but I don’t retract it. That is the case because all those years ago I made that declaration to total dependence. There is so much that I learnt later on that I wish I knew at the time and there’s tons more to learn that I hope others get to discover as they start off on the journey with Jesus.
Also reflecting on the significance of it, I certainly would encourage people to take the plunge. Take it because there is something worth living for that’s also worth dying for in the first place. My life is so much richer because of the plunge, and it’s primarily because of Jesus. His life is worth plunging into wholeheartedly.
Wowsers, though. 25 years. That means I’ve spent the majority of my conscious life after the plunge. God has been faithful, merciful and kind. His love is amazing and if these first 25 years are anything to go by, what is to come is going to be nothing less than remarkable. (Which is a candidate already for understatement of my life!)
(Photo by Ryan Loughlin on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
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