Captivating Freedom Part 15

Captivating Freedom Part 15

The days of confusion over truth and lies were quickly changing.   I was now at the point where I was getting real clarity about what was truth.    It felt so good to be walking in what was true.  

Every single day I became stronger and stronger and I was, for the first time truly able to look at myself and see who I really was and it was not a horrible person at all.   I actually was beginning to love myself.   I loved not having to hide.

There were a few things I really wanted to do because I really, for the first time in 50 years began to see myself in a whole different light.     The first thing I wanted to do was get baptized again.   As a Christian – baptism is one of the most amazing things.   Baptism is going down in the water and coming back out again and it represents that truth that when Jesus died on the cross He descended into hell and took back the keys to life from the devil and He rose again to give us eternal life.  

I had been baptized before, on three other occasions. I would get into a group of people and I wanted to impress them and so I would put my hand up to be baptised because I wanted to be part of a celebration and get some attention. These were all done at different places across the world and so no-one would ever know it wasn’t the first time. Not once on any of these occasions did I get baptised for the right reason.

Now I was in a different place in my journey. The opportunity arose at church and the baptisms were going to be carried out at the church’s youth camp. I was nowhere near youth age but it was open to anyone who wanted to be baptised. I went and met with the Pastors and told them why I wanted to be baptised and they agreed to baptise me.

The day came and I suddenly became very nervous to the point where I told them I wasn’t going to go ahead. I became aware that there was a large crowd of people and fo the first time in my life this wasn’t about the crowd, this was a very personal and private moment for me. This time was really different and I knew it. The Pastors told me that they understood and were fine if I didn’t want to go ahead but they would look in my direction when my turn came and give me the choice.

I stood and watched on as everyone went before me. In those moments a peace came over me that I could not explain and I could not hold back. My moment arrived and I strode into the water.    I knew exactly why I was being baptised and it filled me with joy.

and I also had a revelation of this truth – that I have only just now realised as I write. This baptism was also symbolic of my old life of lies and pain going down in to the watery grave and me rising completely set free from that and rising into all the newness God had for me.

The picture I have posted today is of the moment I came out of the water.    As I look at that picture I see the face of one who has been captivated by the love of God and been set free.