I've been baptised twice. The first time I was somewhere around the age of 9 or 10. It was at a Mormon church; the church my parents attended and took me and my 5 siblings. I did it because the "elders" insisted that I must in order to be an official member of the church. They, more-or-less, arranged it with my parents. I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but I think that was very wrong of them. Especially since I now know I was fooled into believing I had done something sooo great and sooo beneficial to myself.
I was baptised the second time when I was 31 years old. (I had converted from Mormonism to Christianity about a year earlier.) It's an amazing, yet bittersweet story.
Every Sunday at the conclusion of services, our pastor would extend an invitation to the unsaved to accept Jesus as their Saviour and the saved to be baptised. I had spent SEVERAL Sundays wanting so badly to have the courage to rise and go forth because I knew my first baptism had been performed for the wrong reasons. I felt a deep, deep desire to be re-baptised out of my own volition, but I was scared. I hate attention. I knew that if I stood and went forward, people would look at me. (Silly, I know.) So, I went home disheartened Sunday after Sunday.
The Sunday I was baptised, the pastor once again extended the usual invitation. This time, though, the Holy Spirit lifted me out of my seat and carried me up the aisle. I was in total shock at what I was doing. I had to tell the pastor twice why I had come forward because he could'nt hear my timid voice the first time. He announced to the congregation my intentions and directed me to the baptismal room. From there I gained an outstanding, miraculous amount of courage. I met Pastor Smith in the baptismal bath and when I resurfaced I felt new and cleansed!! It was an AMAZING feeling.... that only lasted about 10 seconds. You see, as I exited the baptismal, overcome with excitement, I neglected to take care in my steps on the steps. My feet flew out from under me and I landed square on my tailbone. :embarasse :embarasse An expletive exited my lips loudly enough for the whole congregation to hear. The baptismal attendee quietly scolded me. Once I realized what I had done, I turned ashen with the greatest shame I've ever felt in my life. So much so, that I remained, crying, inside the baptismal dressing room until everyone left the building. I vowed I would never curse again.
I spent the next 3 months in excruciating pain, which I most definitely deserved. I did consider being baptised a third time, but decided to ask for forgivness instead. I've been forgiven!
You may laugh now - giggle.
Amen!
