Keeping a Promise
Read: United Methodist Hymnal p. 40 (#8)
Around 83 years ago my father was baptized. It wasn’t his birthday, but it was his adoption day – the day he was adopted into God’s family, not just his own. We all love baptism days at church. It’s a wonderful commitment by a family to raise their child in the church. It’s also a commitment by the entire congregation to adopt that child into the church family and do our best to nurture them and model God’s love to them. In fact we are specifically asked to do that. I know I have gladly and willingly responded that I would “surround the child with a community of love and forgiveness” and “pray for them.”
Being in a loving family is a great thing. My dad happens to be in more than one. When he had heart problems, yes, his wife and children surrounded him with love and prayed for him, but so did his “adopted” family. As a family member who couldn’t physically surround him, I can’t begin to express how grateful and amazed I was by the outpouring of love by the church family. AND not just for him, but for my mother too.
Thank you for being a church family that lives its vows!
Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for adopting us into Your loving family, and surrounding us with people who model Your love. Amen.
Jacki Rumpp
Read: United Methodist Hymnal p. 40 (#8)
Around 83 years ago my father was baptized. It wasn’t his birthday, but it was his adoption day – the day he was adopted into God’s family, not just his own. We all love baptism days at church. It’s a wonderful commitment by a family to raise their child in the church. It’s also a commitment by the entire congregation to adopt that child into the church family and do our best to nurture them and model God’s love to them. In fact we are specifically asked to do that. I know I have gladly and willingly responded that I would “surround the child with a community of love and forgiveness” and “pray for them.”
Being in a loving family is a great thing. My dad happens to be in more than one. When he had heart problems, yes, his wife and children surrounded him with love and prayed for him, but so did his “adopted” family. As a family member who couldn’t physically surround him, I can’t begin to express how grateful and amazed I was by the outpouring of love by the church family. AND not just for him, but for my mother too.
Thank you for being a church family that lives its vows!
Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for adopting us into Your loving family, and surrounding us with people who model Your love. Amen.
Jacki Rumpp
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