By Waylon Bailey, Pastor of First Baptist Covington
I’m smiling a lot this week.
It’s because I’m seeing so many children who are professing their faith in Christ and following Him in Christian baptism.
From Vacation Bible School to children’s Bible classes to parents who are praying for their children to know Christ and live for him all of their lives, we are seeing many children saved.
That makes me smile. It also makes me remember my initial experience with Christ–the time at age 9 when I talked with my mother in our automobile about faith.
As you might expect, there are many aspects to that conversation that I don’t remember.
There are three parts that I remember vividly.
First, I remember taking my spiritual needs to my mother. I smile when children talk with their parents about spiritual things – – from asking questions about God or heaven and hell – – and seek their guidance.
It was natural for me to talk to my mother about spiritual things because she had talked to me about spiritual things.
Second, I remember her quoting Acts 16:31 to me, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”
Third, I also vividly remember ending the conversation, sitting back in the seat (the backseat of the automobile because my little brother was riding in the front), and praying to God, “Lord, I believe.”
Though I was young, I’ve never been the same. God came into my life, and I’ve never been alone since. I sometimes feel lonely, but I’ve never been alone. I knew it then, and I know it now. God is with me. If God is with me, who can be against me?
I also knew then and know now: God is everything I need. Since Jesus came into my life, I’ve never been without hope, knowing that as long as there is God there is hope as well.
For these reasons I did a lot of smiling as I’ve watched children and families step up to profess faith in Christ.
I know what that means, and I know what that does.
