Waiting and watching

If you have a household of children, there is probably very little waiting and watching going on in your house, unless, of course, we count watching the clock and waiting for their bedtime so you can get a little peace.

But, wait!  There is a great deal of watching as you watch your little one learn to walk and that first grader conquer the art of reading.  There is watching your children interact and become each others advocates and best friends.

For the parents of teenagers there is the waiting time: waiting for them to get home with the car, waiting for college acceptance letters, waiting for a budding romance to burn out or blossom (another whole set of watching and waiting there).

What are we watching and waiting for?  That really is a good question.
Does our day to day watching keep us from enjoying the fullness of each day's gift?
Does our waiting for some milestone marker keep us from simply being with each other today, right now?

God's future is coming to us and the birth of Jesus is the first installment.  Tomorrow we begin our watching and waiting.

Splashing in the water

We'll be splashing in the water this week as we approach Luke's account of the baptism of Jesus. 
Starting at Luke3.15, the people were "filled with expectation" - not about their baptism, nor even about Jesus, but about John - the Baptizer.  They are trying to figure out exactly who John is.

"Filled with expectation" would describe most parents who bring their children to the font for baptism.  Many are 'filled with expectation' about the child's life, future, possible accomplishments, even how positively all that would reflect on them.  Most have a vague understanding of the importance or benefit of baptism for their child or themselves; they have few expectations around baptism.

I get it.  We are looking for a moment of decision; a transformation in the person; a radically different tomorrow.  We are looking for action, and baptism looks amazingly passive to us.  Since Lutherans baptize infants, we don't get any of those things.  Instead, we get God at work through the water and the Word to anoint us with the Spirit and enfold us into the community.

In fact, most of us believe that infants are simply too innocent to be in need of 're-creation'.  For it is re-creation which is taking place - a new birth into a life found in Jesus Christ.  Away with the old - the life warped by our own sin and the nastiness of others.  In with a life defined by Christ: where each of us is seen with eyes of unconditional love and shaped by that love to live life for the sake of the other. 

So if that is what we believe is happening, we can easily figure out that our baptism is lived out over the course of our lifetime.  Baptism is the starting point of a journey of faith which grows and curves and morphs throughout our years.  Whatever this life throws at us, we can claim that moment when we and Christ were joined.  Whatever may happen, we, like Luther, can claim solace and strength in the words  "I am a baptized child of God."

BTW, the big decision at the font is the decision made by the parents - that this is where life for their child can be found - and they are committed to supporting that journey by teaching and example throughout their child's life.  Those promises made at the font join us all together in the adventure of growing more like Christ, teaching others about Jesus, praying for one another regularly, and sharing our blessings with others.  Anytime we get lost in our faith, look again at the baptismal promises, and then go and do exactly what you promised.  God will find you once again.