March - April 2000 The Sabbath Sentinel

Thoughts Upon Baptism

by Bonnie Williams

Standley Lake is in our city but it is removed from the buildings, houses and noisy roads. We (Erick, my husband, my Mom, Dad and I) had to walk about 5 minutes to the lake shore in the freezing cold wind. For some reason, the wind blew harder and colder the closer we got to the water ( I felt that Satan must have been upset!).

As Erick and I walked, we could see whitecaps on the lake's surface and we could smell the colder weather tumbling over the mountains next to us. The sun hid behind clouds and the clouds banded together, determined to keep us cold. The mud at the lake shore was almost like freezing quicksand. The more you walked, the more mud you accumulated on your feet.

Erick went first, since he would have to be wet and cold the longest. From where my mother and I stood, we could see the genuine pain on his face when he sat in the water.

He and my father were out about 30 feet, and with the backdrop of a cold gray sky, deep blue water and towering mountains, the effect was sobering and very real. One could almost imagine Christ being baptized in the river Jordan by his cousin, John the Baptist.

When it was my turn I realized just how cold this was going to be. As I began walking down to the water's edge, I prayed that God would somehow give me the strength to overcome the freezing water.

By the time I was knee deep, a thought occurred to me. The whole reason I was standing in freezing water was because of my sinning. Then I thought, "Wait a minute, all I have to do is get REALLY cold for a minute. But Christ had to be beaten, whipped, tortured and die - for doing NOTHING!" That gave me the strength to endure the cold.

I felt like I was getting an easy way out. I mean, just cold water - and Christ died. What an incredible gift!

As I sat down in the water I completely lost my breath. I began hyper-ventilating and I could barely catch my breath. But I did it!!!

As cold and windy as it was, when I lost my breath, I really got the feeling of death. If not for my father helping me out of the water, I truly would have died.

I have been thinking about yesterday a lot. I am glad our baptism's went as they did. It is something we will never forget - that feeling of needing the help of our Father to pull us from death. There was so much meaning that day. It was truly unforgettable.

After the laying on of hands, we turned to walk up that hill back to the warmth of the car. I was completely numb from my ankles down. I went up the dirt hill barefoot but it felt like I was walking on stumps.

We still couldn't see signs of civilization. If I closed my eyes, I could imagine how those death marches felt for the Jews in the Holocaust.

But as I walked up the hill my thoughts went back to the freezing water and the painful cold. My troubles seemed insignificant when I compared the sacrifice Christ made for me.

So I laughed my hurting feet away! I just thought of how ridiculous it was to complain about my frozen feet when someday I might be killed for what I believe. Comparing the two still makes me laugh.

I wanted to share my experience with my new brothers and sisters in Christ. All my life I used to ask my Mom and Dad what would happen if Christ returned before I got baptized. I worried that I would be left back on the ground while my parents be changed into spirit beings.

FINALLY, I can look forward to that great day and know that I will be changed too!

TSS

March - April 2000 The Sabbath Sentinel