Sunday was a good day. It was a real good day. At our gathering, we celebrated Christ’s resurrection in a way that we never have done before. To quote Jesse Kellner, the resurrection - it changes everything. Christ’s resurrection changed the world. Granted, it’s a message we’ve heard before, but really bears repeating and repeating.
Afterwards, we gathered at the ranch for some family time with Jennie’s family. Again, it was a good time. It was more insane than our normal insanity, but great nonetheless. Then I received a text message that brought up so many emotions, smiling, happiness, crying (tears of joy – yes, I am a sap. I even cry during those extreme makeover shows…) It was a text message from Corinne with a picture with a seven word message. No, it was not ‘Pop-Pop is going to have another grandkid’. It was a picture of her church’s Easter service yesterday at the Seattle Seahawks football stadium with the caption ‘This is where I was baptized today’.
With tears in my eyes, I showed my phone to Jennie and she basically had the same reaction. I was so happy and filled with joy and pride that she felt ready to make that public statement of her personal faith in Christ; it was all I could do to keep it together. Disclaimer: While I believe that I had little effect on her statement of faith or her decision to follow Christ, but still as her dad and as a follower of Christ there was nothing better that could have happened on that day. Nothing. I understand the verse in Luke 15, where the angels rejoice when one returns to faith; however I think that I could have outdone some of those angels :)
I believe that as Christian parents, it is our responsibility and our privilege to introduce your kids to Christ and to show them what Christ has done in your own life. However, the act of receiving salvation is up to the individual. One cannot will salvation onto another. Sometimes that whole free will thing really bites. Today, I’m beaming as a dad whose daughter took that step to publically affirm her faith. I pray that I’m able to do that with all my kids. But I’m sure that what I’m feeling is far and away outdone by her heavenly father. Today, I'm sure that God is saying, Behold Corinne, my daughter, in whom I am well pleased.
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Corinne,
Out of all the great things that you have done in your life,
I can truly say that I’ve never been more proud of you than I am today.
May God continually reveal himself to you
and make your faith in him grow by leaps and bounds
Love, Dad
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