I will have to say I was hoping my children would get baptized when they were older, when they completely understood its meaning, when I knew for sure it was their faith and not mine. I wanted them to own their faith, stand firm in their faith and not waiver. But then I remembered theses verses.
36 "He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37
“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me;
and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:36-37.
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Mathew 18:9
13"Then people brought
little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for
them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Mathew 19:13-14
Two Sunday's ago when my daughter wrote out an agenda for the following Sunday, I knew it was time for her to get baptized. She was excited and ready to tell the world. My son knew it was his time, too.
My husband had the honor of doing the baptism. On FB he wrote,
Today
I had the privilege of baptizing both of my children. What a joy and
honor to be the one helping my children display their obedience to their
heavenly father in front of our church and families.
So my prayer for my children is
that they would earnestly seek God all their days.
that they would grow in depth and strength of character.
that God would give them immeasurable amount of discernment during life's challenges.
that they would be tender, loving and compassionate to others even if they do not receive it in return.
that they would determine their value by Christ's sacrifice in their life.
that they would draw their joy from God's overwhelming love for them.
that God would have a firm grip on them always and they would never want to be let go.
that they would aspire to be what God wants them to be.
that they would
stand
as tall as the mercy that rescues and heals them.
that they would be grace with skin on in their small circle of the world.
that they live for the delight of a King who frames all time. - Amen