Hosea 14:9(NASB) Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous will walk in them, but transgressors will stumble in them.
Matthew 3:13-15(NASB) Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness”
1 Peter 3:21(Amplified Bible) And baptism, which is a figure [ of their deliverance], does now also save you [ from inward questionings and fears], not by the removing of outward body filth (bathing), but by [providing you with] the answer of a good and clear conscience [inward cleanness and peace] before God, [because you are demonstrating what you believe to be yours] through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In an earlier devotion titled ‘Walls’ I shared how I had battled an emotional fear of rejection from God for years. Even though I knew in truth that God’s love was reliable, I felt as though I could easily be junked by Him. At times that emotion taunted me despite an awareness of all the trouble Jesus went through to acquire my heart. From time to time, my faulty and unreliable emotions affected my walk and depth of relationship with God. I determined to live according to God’s Word rather than by my feelings, but it was difficult. If God’s yoke does not fit easily, something is wrong. In time, that something in my life was addressed and the Lord did a healing and released me from that unreasonable fear. I want to take you back in time though, to a day when the fear of rejection was at an all-time high: the day of my baptism.
Grateful for the work Jesus did on the cross for me, I looked forward to professing my newfound faith through baptism. However, some very evil thoughts crossed my mind that day. I mistakenly equated temptation with sinning. In addition to that, I felt guilty because I really had sinned in more common ways. What I did not understand was that God could see far beyond my actions, deep into my heart. He knows who truly hungers for a relationship with Him and who is just toying with Him. God is perfectly discerning. He is fully aware of whether we want to love Him, but fail at times, or simply presume that we can arrogantly use Him as a ‘get out of trouble trinket’. I was confused about my relationship with God. Because of my confusion, the day of my baptism was filled with anxiety, a sense of hopelessness and fearful thoughts and dreams. Rather than demonstrating what I believed to be mine when I was baptized, I demonstrated what I desperately hoped might still be mine. It was foolish to think I had to complete a journey on my own strength that could only be started through God.
Though God later cleared my thinking through scripture and eventually healed my emotions as well, at the time of my ‘baptism’ I was actually just getting wet; not professing faith. For that reason, I am scheduled to be baptized soon. This time the only anxieties I am experiencing are concerns that my vertigo
might act up when I go down in the water, or that my pastor’s back could ache afterwards since I am ‘larger than life’; stuff like that. Never-the-less, I really look forward to this baptism, for this baptism won’t just be by my pastor in water. Instead I am taking a peaceful plunge; a deep profession of faith in Lord’s consistent love for me. This time I am not just getting soaked in religious ritual. This time righteousness is truly being fulfilled the way it was by Jesus back in the Jordan River. Remember how God the Father said “This is my beloved Son!” to Jesus? Well, thanks to the work Jesus did on the cross, He also says, “You are my beloved child” to me.