ReBirthday

I have two pictures of my grandpa and me together. One of them was taken when he was in the hospital with cancer and I was a few months old. The other was taken 27 years ago today.

27 years ago today I was baptized in Hamilton, TX. This is a special day for me in that I value it even more than my other birthday. Sure, I got a pretty cool name when I was born (thanks mom and dad!), but something happens in baptism that is way better. You see, 27 years ago today, God placed His name on me. In this event He revealed His choice to make me a part of His big, cosmic, connected-across-space-and-time, sometimes dysfunctional (right now), living, breathing, forgiving, learning, living, and loving… family. When He put this name on me, He made me His.

There aren’t many people who want to be owned by anyone else, especially today when we live in a world that values independence, autonomy, and relationships that center on immediacy rather than intimacy. But that is exactly what happened 27 years ago… I lost all that. In a moment of love and mercy I became intimate with the Creator. Redeemed, forgiven, justified, saved… put whatever word on it you like, but the most raw aspect of the relationship that began in the baptism event was the beginning of intimacy. This intimacy has permeated through every aspect of my life — into relationships with fiancee, family, and friends — and I am grateful.

It is an awesome day to be alive! Thanks God!

~ by Landon Ledlow on May 10, 2008.