I was at the gym one day when I got chatting to a lady next to me who told me her name was Mandy. She began to recommend a class that took place on a Sunday morning so I thanked her for her suggestion but said that I wouldn’t be able to make it as I go to Church on a Sunday. Mandy said straight away that she was searching for a deeper meaning to life and she felt that something was definitely “missing.” I replied, “At the risk of sounding crazy, you’re right, there is something missing from your life. His name is Jesus and He loves you.”
Mandy told me that she wanted to know more about Him and so we started going for a coffee after class each week and I shared the Gospel, some Christian booklets and a few of my poems with her. I was absolutely amazed to see how quickly the Holy Spirit started to work within Mandy’s heart! I guess it’s as the Bible says in Jeremiah 29:13,
“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
After a few weeks of going to Church Mandy gave her heart to Jesus! I felt it was such an honour and a privilege that the Lord allowed me to be a part of her testimony and I’ll always be so grateful for this experience.
When my Church organised a baptismal ceremony for August 2018 Mandy put her name down to take part. In the days leading up to the date I felt inspired to write a poem that would hopefully be a blessing not only to my dear friend but also to everyone being baptised that day. My prayer is that the poem might be used by others too though and shared at any baptism! Whenever numbers are added to the Body of Christ it certainly gives us a reason to celebrate!
Bless this day we pray O’ Lord as we rejoice and sing;
You’ve added to the family of those who call You King!
Your Holy Spirit moved their soul and worked within their heart
So now we celebrate as their new life with Jesus starts!
Where condemnation stood we now find pardon in it’s place,
We praise You for this miracle and thank you for Your grace!
Salvation is secured and every fear is washed away,
Eternal life is promised for Your love has won the day!
And so we come to witness their profession of this love
And pray Your many blessings flow upon them from above.
We know this act alone is not what saves us from our sin,
It’s just the outer statement of the change that lies within.
Their soul already born-again and with a new direction,
Today we come to signify Your death and Resurrection.
The Cross has been acknowledged, repentance taken place
So now their life will always be secure in Your embrace!
A brand new child of God in whom the Saviour finds delight,
May joy be overflowing as our purposes unite!
We pray You give them courage and may their life inspire
Those who do not know You to fulfil their hearts’ desire.
Help them find their strength in You, their strong and mighty Tower.
Teach them of Your goodness Lord and stun them with your power!
Help them learn to trust You as You lead them in Your way,
May they fall in love with Jesus more and more each day.
Let every care and burden now be brought before Your Throne
And when the trials come we pray they know they’re not alone.
We ask You give us wisdom as we seek to help and guide.
May our fellowship be sweet, united as Your Bride.
We look towards the future with a hope and expectation
And long to see what fruit will come from this, Your new creation!
We join the hosts of Heaven as we sing in one accord;
Another soul is saved! Shout Hallelujah, praise the Lord!
2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Mark 16:16
“He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
Luke 15:10
“Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Isaiah 53:4-6
“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
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