Schantelle’s baptism, a few weeks ago, raised a very interesting perspective that we’d love to share with you to think about.
A beautiful young woman, a wife, a mother chose to be baptised the other Sunday.
It was a God-honouring service and a joyful celebration of her new life in Christ as we walked to the beach and watched her publicly declare her commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ through baptism.
A delightful summer day, sand and ocean a perfect picture of a summer day in Adelaide, what more could we ask for?
But right at that moment far away in another country another beautiful young woman, perhaps a wife, maybe even a young mum would be timidly stepping into the water to declare her faith in Jesus.
Is it someone’s back yard pool or perhaps a small secluded river? We’ll never know. She glances around and then moves forward boldly into the deep water. Was that a stranger she saw in the small gathering huddled together at the edge of the water? Was this to be the day that she’d be taken away never to be heard of again?
It took courage for Schantelle to take her step of faith today. But do we remember; do we pray for these believers in other countries where it can cost them everything?
Jesus clearly tells us that we are to take up our cross and follow him. Christ himself set the ultimate example by giving up all to come to earth as a human, to suffer and die the death of total separation from his Father; total separation from the glory he had with God before the world began.
I was thinking about this when it occurred to me that we haven’t got it easy here in Australia.
We just too easily forget the cost.