Thanksgiving is almost a synonym for food. Food preparation is not one of my gifts. Therefore about halfway through the holiday I begin to feel guilty. While I am watching football others are busy in the kitchen. Trying to compensate I look for little things that I can do that might be helpful. So when I saw the dishwasher full of dishes it was a serendipitous opportunity for me to do something other than freeload. So I quickly put in the dishwasher soap and turned it on. I was feeling pretty good about myself until I heard, “Who turned on the dishwasher? They were clean!!” Alas. No good deed goes unpunished.
I have a friend who belongs to a church that baptizes by immersing three times – one for the Father, one for the Son and one for the Holy Spirit. He never said so bit I think he thinks I’m not really baptized since I was only immersed once. Then of course there are those who were merely sprinkled. And we can go one further and mention the thief on the cross who wasn’t even sprinkled.
Actually we are saved by grace and not by any rite; otherwise it would be salvation by ritual. Salvation is a heart experience with our maker. Salvation is saying, “Lord, I want to be like you.” Salvation is saying, “I am disgusted with myself and know I can only be clean if you say so.” Salvation is knowing Jesus also says to us, “This day you will be with me in my kingdom.” And how does that happen? Merely by asking. It is easy to make God happy. Fathers are like that. Yeah, they are.
Spring Of Life