Daily Devotion: Baptism

Scripture:
Matthew 28: 19-20
"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."

Observation:
Before Jesus started His ministry on earth, He went on a trip to Jordan to be baptized by John. Baptism was the first step before He started preaching, teaching, and performing miracles. Baptism was not an option. The Lord wanted to show His disciples that if they really want to follow Him, they must be baptized first. Before the Lord ascended to heaven, He commanded His disciples again to baptize in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Although baptism is not a pre-requisite for salvation, it is clear that the Lord wants us to be baptized because it is the only way for us to publicly declare that we have received Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.

I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior when I was in 4th year high school, but would you believe that I got baptized in August 2014 only? It was one of the most significant events in my life! At the time of my baptism, all I ever thought of was that I wanted to declare to others--my husband, church members, and people around the place where I was being baptized--that I am a follower of Jesus. It took me 23 years before making that important declaration! I should have made that decision inmediately after I accepted the Lord as my Savior, but at that time, my stubborn heart was not ready to make a commitment to the Lord. I have missed out on all the blessings that the Lord could have given to me during those 23 years.

Application:
The Lord has been really good to me. He has made me understand that baptism is a command that we should take seriously. It is instituted by Jesus Christ himself in Matthew 28: 18-20. It is important to submit to this command because it identifies us with Christ's death on the cross, his burial, and his ressurection. And once we are baptized, it connects us to the people of God. When we become members of a local church, we become better believers. Our local church helps us better live our Christian lives as we continue to understand the Lord's will by constantly studying the Word of God. If you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your baptism comes next.

"Baptism is an outward manifestation of an inward reality. Every Christian who submits himself to water baptism provides a public declaration or testimony of a relationship with Jesus. You can receive Jesus privately, but God doesn't want you to remain private. You have to go public declaring Jesus."
- ENRICH, A Daily Devotional

Prayer:
My Lord Jesus, thank you for being our greatest example. You were not a sinner, but you went through baptism to show us what it is, how it is done, and why. Thank you for letting me understand the significance of my baptism. Thank you for showing me that through my baptism, I have publicly declared that all my sins have been washed away and my old self has died. I will forever be grateful for your goodness in my life. All honor, glory, and praises to your mighty name Jesus! AMEN.