Under Grace

Yesterday, one of my best friends was baptized. There are three people I will mention most often: Aubrey is my best friend and roommate. Josh and Damon are the two boys that we're closest to. Josh and Aubrey are very outgoing and social, and both feel called to the mission field. Damon and I are engineering students and are much more socially awkward. We're a very happy foursome.

So, Damon was baptized yesterday, and it's the most incredible feeling, watching someone you love so much have their sins washed away. I know there is some theological debate about how baptisms should be handled--some people were sprinkled as a baby, Catholics have a first communion ceremony, Methodists have confirmation, but I've always felt like this was how God intended for baptism to take place. It's an adult decision, and it's a difficult one.

Immediately, I know he felt some inner conflict. We spoke last night and he was already frustrated and isolated by his circumstances, and I realized that this is only a testament of how messed up the devil is over Damon joining the ranks to fight the good fight. When we establish a relationship with Christ, when we're baptized in the Holy Spirit, when we make public our faith through baptism and stand in our faith, trusting God to carry us, we make ourselves targets of the enemy. He really does come to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10) but God has grace enough to sustain us in our weakness.

Romans 6:14
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Sometimes the choices we make, especially the right ones, are going to suck, because the world doesn't understand why we are the way we are. But His grace is sufficient, and even when the devil attacks us head on, we can stand firm, because our God is bigger.