July 23 – “Transcending tradition”

I did the closest thing to an infant baptism I will probably ever do the other day.  The family wanted to do something special for their almost-two-year-old daughter while the family was gathered together here in Galveston at a beach house.  It took me a while, but I developed a child dedication service for them that even incorporated Mom and Dad lowering the little one into the water.  The symbolism there was to show how we were asking the Holy Spirit to completely surround her with his protection until she was old enough to understand how to make the decision for herself to love Jesus. 

It went really well, too.  Everyone there was family.  They were all dressed in white to commemorate the occasion.  I even took a big family picture of all of them at the water’s edge before we started the service.  The little girl did really well.  She didn’t make a sound the whole time, even when Mom and Dad eased her into the water.  And after the service several of them stayed around to ask me questions.  It was great to be able to clarify the gospel in such a way that they seemed to be considering the ramifications of a personal love relationship with Jesus in a way they hadn’t thought of before. 

Guess I’ll have to include this one in my book of unusual services and approaches to ministries I have undergone over the years.  I’m not sure anyone else would buy into that sort of thing, though.  This whole transcending traditional denominational lines to discover points of commonality under Jesus just doesn’t seem to be all that popular.  Never has been.  But I have sure found some the best opportunities for ministry there.  I don’t see stopping any time soon. 

Matthew 15:1-4 says, “Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 ‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!’

3 Jesus replied, ‘And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?’”

Father, help me to always see beyond tradition and into you your heart.  Amen.