All others had been jointly held with other churches. But this was our very own. With canopy, T-shirts, pens, registration forms, towels, signs and banners in tow, we headed east on Lake Worth Road.
The sky was vibrant blue with a few clumps of pearly clouds. Sunshine was winning all the way to our sandy destination.
Once we turned north on Ocean Blvd the clouds thickened and darkened. Turning into Phipp's Beach parking lot and I noticed a finger-like cloud jutting downward under a large grey formation hovering the water.
Hopping out of the car, folks on the beach confirmed what I saw. "There's a water spout moving at high speed southward." It started to rain. Over the sea out about a mile, we could see little glittering sprinkles swirling on its sunlit surface directly below the cloud protrusion. Cold front meets warm air.
Heavy showers forced us to wait it out in the car, wondering if our premier baptism was a wash. The 10% chance of precipitation had turned into 100%.
Volunteers arrived, including my good friend, Janet who said she was arguing with God as she drove toward the smouldering skies hovering over the coastline. "Lord, you told us to make disciples! Why are you making it so difficult for us?"
Why indeed.
10 minutes in and the drops stopped. We decided to move to the shoreline and give it a try.
Our hired lifeguard said the water looked fine, there was no lightening so we could proceed, though the clouds still hung dark and ominous.
Then just as the Pastor Brian started baptizing, the sprinkles started up again, then hard rain, then a downpour turning to sideways torrents. I had never been outside in weather this bad. It was hard to see anything except dark shapes moving in the churning shallows; the rain in sheets and and gale-like gusts.
They didn't stop baptizing. The life guard remained calm. Even with my 'cut' (hand to the neck) signals to the pastors, they kept on. Umbrellas having no effect against the storm, we were drenched through, t-shirts and jeans, hats and hoodies. Cell phones and watches frantically thrown into the plastic bins for protection. I managed a couple of photos seconds before.
Jesus took the disciples out on a boat on the Sea of Galilee, when a storm just like this one stirred up suddenly with near hurricane strength. The disciples questioned God, "Why did you take us out here? Did you take us out here to die?"
We did not fear as the disciples did by any stretch, but this was certainly not what I'd envisioned for our first baptism. I imagined smiling faces, a guitar player strumming worship songs. Sweet moments of baptism on a sublime fall Florida day. Good thing I left the guitar at home!
We ask God those sorts of 'why' questions often. It seems he leads us to stormy places and we question his direction.
Yet, He remained calm. In one instance He slept through it. He after all, was Lord of the storm.
The picture is fitting. These new believers were learning that following Jesus isn't always shining skies. There comes resistance and challenge and trial. And serving him, making disciples, is also not surrounded by fair weather. Quite often its uncomfortable and cold and we are fighting elements to get the job done. And the newly baptized drug-taker, Lesbian couple, and innocent child-turned-Jesus-follower will soon find that out. They will also learn that Jesus will always be in the precipitous boat-ride with them.
Up in the tiki hut where many ran for cover from the pelting rain, I handed out dry t-shirts and congratulated the newly baptized friends. We could hear the cheering on the shore whenever another one got dunked.
Then the life guard called an end as the current was just too turbulent for safety. All but one was baptized.
Pastors went home after good-byes. And the sun came back out.
We wondered why the weather couldn't have held till after the baptism, why a squall roiled only while we were baptizing.
Perhaps it was to experience the thrill of His strength in nature. To see a water spout spin a sending droplets dancing circles over the surface of the sea. To see the sky-washed beaming faces of those proclaiming their soul's surrender Jesus. To see them glory in having triumphed over the whipping wind and wet, following through with their commitment.
Perhaps that's why, God.
The tempest will help us remember. We will never forget this baptism day, to be sure.
We did not fear as the disciples did by any stretch, but this was certainly not what I'd envisioned for our first baptism. I imagined smiling faces, a guitar player strumming worship songs. Sweet moments of baptism on a sublime fall Florida day. Good thing I left the guitar at home!
We ask God those sorts of 'why' questions often. It seems he leads us to stormy places and we question his direction.
Yet, He remained calm. In one instance He slept through it. He after all, was Lord of the storm.
The picture is fitting. These new believers were learning that following Jesus isn't always shining skies. There comes resistance and challenge and trial. And serving him, making disciples, is also not surrounded by fair weather. Quite often its uncomfortable and cold and we are fighting elements to get the job done. And the newly baptized drug-taker, Lesbian couple, and innocent child-turned-Jesus-follower will soon find that out. They will also learn that Jesus will always be in the precipitous boat-ride with them.
Up in the tiki hut where many ran for cover from the pelting rain, I handed out dry t-shirts and congratulated the newly baptized friends. We could hear the cheering on the shore whenever another one got dunked.
Then the life guard called an end as the current was just too turbulent for safety. All but one was baptized.
Pastors went home after good-byes. And the sun came back out.
We wondered why the weather couldn't have held till after the baptism, why a squall roiled only while we were baptizing.
Perhaps it was to experience the thrill of His strength in nature. To see a water spout spin a sending droplets dancing circles over the surface of the sea. To see the sky-washed beaming faces of those proclaiming their soul's surrender Jesus. To see them glory in having triumphed over the whipping wind and wet, following through with their commitment.
Perhaps that's why, God.
The tempest will help us remember. We will never forget this baptism day, to be sure.
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