Baptism

Every night before bed, we all pile up on Xander's bed where each child has picked out a story to read. We read those, a Bible story and then we pray together.

May 31st was a typical Saturday night in our house. The kids had both picked out stories and we read those. Then it came time for the Bible story and Xander said he wasn't interested (Amelia Jayne has yet to be interested and is often wandering the room looking for something to destroy play with). I had decided long ago not to push it, so I told him we'd read it another night. He immediately changed his mind and needed (read: whined incessantly) to read the Bible. Okay, I said, but you need to make up your mind and not be wishy-washy about things.

In the middle of the story about John the Baptist baptizing Jesus, Xander said, "I want to get baptized. Can I get baptized?"
I said, "Well, yeah. You can. We'll talk about it later. Let's finish the story."
Xander said, "Let's talk about it right after the story."
"Okay," I said.
As soon as the story was over, Xander asked if he could be baptized just like Jesus was. I asked him if he understood what that meant and he said he did. I told him, "But being baptized is a big commitment. It means that you're telling the rest of the world that you want to follow Jesus and do what He asks you to do. You're making a commitment to Jesus that you love Him and will obey Him."
He looked at me with this funny expression on his face and said, "Well, yeah. Of course that's what I want to do."
I asked him if he loved Jesus and if he wanted to always follow Him. (By now he was getting slightly agitated, like I wasn't really listening or understanding, but I just wanted to be sure he knew what he was saying.)
I told him that God loved him so much that He sent Jesus to earth to live and die so that He could forgive all our sins and we could be in relationship with God our Father.
Xander said, "Like John 3:16 says. For God so loved the world that He gave his only son. That whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Like that?"
With tears in my eyes I said, "Yeah, buddy, like that."
He said, "What does that mean?"
"What? Perish?"
"No, perish means to die. I'm talking about the other parts."
We sat there and discussed John 3:16, dissecting it piece by piece until he understood the whole thing. He sat looking at me with furrowed brows, asking questions and soaking in my answers.
I asked him if he wanted to pray and thank Jesus for being his Savior and friend. This is what he prayed:
"Dear God,
Thank you that Jesus lives in my heart. Thank you that He died for me. And thanks for taking away all that yucky sin. In Jesus's name, Amen."

It was one of the most mind-boggling, emotional and exciting moments of my life.

I used to be skeptical. I'll admit it. When people would tell me they became Christians when they were 4 or 5. I didn't really believe you could know or understand enough to follow Jesus at that age.
I was wrong. My son showed me how easily a young mind that is so smart and so free from the world's degeneracy could so easily accept the gift that God gives through His Son. I have no doubt in my mind that Xander has given his life to Jesus. I am so proud and so amazed at the work of the Holy Spirit. God has something great in store for that little man. I am so privileged to be part of it.