This week’s church blog is actually the story behind the song, Baptize Me, from the worship recording, Let It Rain. This song came to me on August 27, 1991. Here’s the story:
A friend of mine, Teresa, came to me one day very excited about something she heard Malcolm Smith share about the Holy Spirit. This song came as I meditated on what she shared when God’s word speaks of the Spirit falling upon us. It is the same word used to describe what the prodigal son’s father did when he returned home.
The father “fell” on his son’s neck! Can you imagine the father’s joy and grip of love upon his son? The word is also the same to describe John’s act of “falling” or “leaning” upon Jesus’ breast. Can you imagine being held by Jesus? I don’t want to just be held, I want to be consumed!
In Luke 15:20-24 NASB, we find the Father’s response to the prodigal son who returned home. God’s Word says this:
20 "So he set out and came to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion [for him,] and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let's eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.
I identify greatly with the prodigal son. I felt unworthy of God’s love for me but found complete freedom and victory when being completely immersed in the love of God…in being baptized by and in the presence of God’s Spirit. As new creations in Christ, we have the opportunity to be consumed with God’s massive love and with the power of His presence any time, any place.
There is a passage in God’s Word where the apostle Peter addresses a group of Jewish followers of Christ. Peter was talking about how the non-Jewish people he had preached to responded to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Acts 11:15 NASB, Peter says, "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as [He did] upon us at the beginning.” Here is what Peter was referring to according to Acts 10:43-45 NASB, telling the non-jewish people he was preaching to that, 43 "All the prophets testify of Him [Jesus], that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins." 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been poured out on the Gentiles [the non-Jews].
Let’s do this in the coming days. Let’s open our hearts to the reality of God’s Spirit - His presence - with us and in us…and let’s be immersed in the constancy of His massive love that far surpasses our human ability to even fully appreciate it. Let’s just believe it and receive it. I say, “Lord…baptize me…again and again and again and again.”
Amen.
Dennis Jernigan
To hear The Dennis Jernigan Podcast version of today’s blog and to hear the song, Baptize Me, just go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/baptize-me/
Photo courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/06/07/20/47/underwater-2381606_1280.jpg