Waters of sacrifice, waters of life...

baptism, originally uploaded by mincaye.

Tee Ming was baptised on Sunday, 27 November in her church, SS Gospel Centre. Alissa, Jon, Tee Keat and I were there to witness it.

I believe there are two things inherent in the act of baptism; a challenge and a promise.


The challenge is to surrender all that we are to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. No one has expressed it more bluntly than he, and I quote from Luke 9;

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."

Even children are familiar with the song;

I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back, no turning back

Prior to the baptism itself, a two-fold question is asked:

"Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that in believing in him as Saviour and Lord you shall have eternal life?"

Yet I am inclined to think that baptism goes beyond that. I think it is a public declaration of the decision to follow Christ, and this probably reflects much of what I have written in the past week.


As for the promise, we need only look at the baptism of Christ himself;

"At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him."

The Spirit descended. It should come as no surprise, for I am not convinced the Spirit does not at that moment indwell the believer who has decided at baptism to follow Christ, with no turning back.

This is our assurance. Later in his life, the apostle Peter wrote;

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

When we decide to surrender to God, he promises his Spirit to counsel and to comfort, to strengthen and to guide. The unforced rhythms of grace begin to work when we let go... and let God have his way.


On that night, Tee Ming recited a poem she had written not too long ago, and I think it is an excellent prayer;

Only You know what's in my heart
All the little things that are troubling me so much
It may not be an issue to somebody else
But You know exactly how I feel

I hate myself for being so emotional
Taking things as if it were the end of the world
Why can't I take it as others do
To live each day as it comes

You have always been here for me
Why can't I seem to trust you and lay everything down
For you are far above all my tears
You're the almighty, loving God

Love me, I pray,
Help me fall lost in your embrace
Let me sleep well, rest well and free myself
To die to self and live again in you

Words, so many words,
Do I have to say so much?
Don't you already know
What's in my heart?

Surrender, surrender, O my soul
To your Creator...


(The painting of the waves I did with my art teacher, Mr Apollo Hui, in June 2001. It seemed to suit the occasion, and rests now in Ming's house)