“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20
When I read an article in Men’s Health that provided the pros and cons of taking a daily cold shower, I was reminded of some experiences in Haiti. The writer described when he first stepped under the cold stream, his shoulders impulsively bent upward, and muscles tightened. He decided that the extreme cold caused his mind to think more clearly after following this practice for a full week. Most of my showers or cup showers while living in Haiti were cold, so I can identify with his descriptions. My showers never lasted more than a couple of minutes, and they sure did make me appreciate a hot shower when that luxury was available. Recalling this memory caused me to recall seeing a child baptized. Whenever the water from the font was too cold, the baby would tense up and offer a vocal noise that must have meant “NO” to the Pastor and the person holding them as the waters of Holy Baptism marked them as a child of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, consider people bathing and doing laundry in a Haitian canal filled with cool water. Vodou is a part of the Haitian culture and many Haitians are still caught up in the lies of vodou and are not yet disciples of our Triune God. We pray that the children attending Christian schools in Haiti will courageously share the Gospel Message with them and bring them to the redeeming waters of Holy Baptism. I close today with the words from the hymn Baptized into Thy Name Most Holy that were written by Johann J. Rambach in 1734.
“Baptized into Thy name most holy, O Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I claim a place, though weak and lowly, among Thy seed, Thy chosen host. buried with Christ and dead to sin, Thy Spirit now shall live within.
My loving Father, Thou dost take me to be henceforth Thy child and heir; my faithful Savior, Thou dost make me the fruit of all Thy sorrows share; Thou, Holy Ghost, wilt comfort me when darkest clouds around I see. And I have vowed to love and fear Thee and to obey Thee, Lord, alone; because the Holy Ghost did move me, I dared to pledge myself Thine own, renouncing sin to keep the faith and war with evil unto death.
My faithful God, Thou failest never, Thy covenant surely will abide; Oh, cast me not away forever should I transgress it on my side! Though I have oft my soul defiled, do Thou forgive, restore, Thy child.
Yea, all I am and love most dearly I offer now, O Lord, to Thee, Oh, let me make my vows sincerely and help me Thine own child to be! Let naught within me, naught I own, serve any will but Thine alone. And never let my purpose falter, O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, but keep me faithful to Thine altar till Thou shalt call me from my post, so unto Thee I live and die and praise Thee evermore on high.”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen