My middle grandchild, our oldest sweet little girl, received Jesus as Lord and Savior. She was baptized in a beautiful ceremony in which her other grandfather and I were honored to participate. It was a time of gratitude, humility, and celebration. Our grandson, the oldest of the three, did the same a while back. The same sense of gratitude, humility, and celebration was present then. We are joyfully awaiting our youngest to grow older, to be led by her parents and her church family, and to hear the call of the Savior when God deems it time.
My heart was impressed by this baptism, though. For a good, long time, she had been asking questions of her parents, my bride and me, and others about Jesus and how he died on the cross for her sins. She came to a growing understanding and was also asking about baptism. I personally asked her some diagnostic questions and she responded well. Her dad took her to visit her pastor and the three of them had a few meetings together. I believe she spoke with her other grandparents and her Sunday school teacher, as well.
One evening, the phone rang. It was my son. He said that our granddaughter had something to tell us. “I’m a Christian now!” she exclaimed to two very happy grandparents! She had been lovingly guided by caring family members, church family members, and her pastor. We were more excited than I can explain in words, whether spoken or in print!
Here is the part that has amazed me. Our granddaughter has autism. She processes things in her own, unique way. She was never led or coerced in this process, she led us. She inquired, she persisted, and she responded to God’s call upon her life.
Here is the part that has amazed me even more. She absolutely despises having attention drawn in her direction. She becomes terribly nervous, manifested by shaky hands and fearful expression. She often even hides her face or withdraws completely when she feels overwhelmed due to attention. It is too much for her. It hurts her. She suffers when too much attention occurs, and we can all perceive when she needs to escape. . . but now it was time for her baptism. What would happen to a little girl who hurts when a crowd looks at her? How would she respond when it was time to stand before an entire congregation and physically proclaim her allegiance, symbolically preaching a sermon of her conversion, and literally standing as a witness to God’s soul-saving and life-giving love? After all, baptism is a big deal. I have seen many people become unnerved by the thought of following Christ in baptism, whether children or adults, introverts or extroverts. Standing in front of a crowd is challenging.
The Sunday of the baptism arrived. Our beautiful little girl came out in her baptismal robe. We could tell she was nervous. The baptism was scheduled between the praise and worship songs and the sermon, so she had a while to contemplate the situation. As the service began, she sat in the first row, just in front of my bride. As the service began and the pastor announced she was going to be baptized, she drew her bare feet up into her seat, put her hands over her face, and pulled her knees over her hands. After about thirty seconds, though, she sat normally, yet fidgety.
When the time came for the baptism itself, she bravely stood up with her father and made her way toward the baptistry. Her other grandfather and I helped her ascend the steps to the water, one on each side. She then sat in the baptistry while the pastor spoke to the congregation. She was nervous. She was in front of a crowd. She was hurting. Her dad held her hand, her other grandfather was on the other side, and I gently patted and rubbed her back, whispering words of comfort and encouragement to her as she endured the moments. Then came time for her to descend fully into the water. We gently escorted her forward and she bravely took her place in front of her pastor.
The pastor asked two questions regarding our brave little girl’s salvation. He assured us all that she had answered appropriately. She pushed through the pain, choosing public baptism over comfort, proclamation over withdrawal, and identification with Christ over submission to fear. The pastor gently lowered her fully into the water. All eyes were on her. It seemed everyone’s hearts were both cheering for her and praying for her. She arose from the water to the sound of full applause! The most beautiful smile was on her face, the joy of the Lord was evident and radiant. She made it! She pushed through! She was baptized! I could not help but remember Nehemiah’s word, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). I cried as I prayed a prayer at the conclusion of her baptism. I do not even know if the congregation understood the prayer through my shaky, crying voice, but I know God understood it. There was so much gratitude and joy in God’s house at that moment. (As I write this, tears are welling up in my eyes.)
Our little girl, who suffers from autism, chose to identify with her Savior in a way that was anything but cheap. It cost her a lot of discomfort and pain. This was not easy for her. I am proud of a granddaughter who knows the importance of identifying with Jesus. I am so grateful to everyone who helped her understand the gospel of Jesus.
While a little girl in this situation could have chosen differently and others would have understood, she did it. I thank the Lord for her example. I thank the Lord for preaching to me through her actions. I am thankful that the joy of the Lord is her strength.
Please Subscribe below:
kevingarrett.org 