You Never Know What God is Doing

An unexpected baptism, a holy moment, and a reminder that God is working in hearts we cannot see.

An Invitation I Didn't Want to Miss

I have been invited to many baptisms over the years, and whenever possible, I rearrange my schedule to attend.

As a believer, I understand the significance of publicly declaring faith in Jesus Christ. There is something holy about witnessing a person identify with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.

It never gets old and always touches my soul.

There is a family very dear to me. Being a part of their family for more than 25 years has allowed us to share both laughter and tears, as well as rejoice in the next generation. Two years ago, I attended then 10-year-old Addison's baptism. Last year, I attended then 8-year-old Aria's baptism.

As if that wasn't enough, God surprised me with more.

I was making arrangements for a weekend sleepover with the girls when Vincenzo, their dad, mentioned that I could keep them until church on Sunday morning. He wanted them there because he was getting baptized.

I was thrilled! Maybe even a little surprised.

I gently, but rather boldly, asked if I could come too.

"Of course," he replied.

Good News. He Takes All Sinners.

I have a confession to make.

I have known Vincenzo for more than a decade now, and I have observed some of his behaviors. Through the lens of my own religious judgment, I had considered his transformation improbable. Not that he was bad. But church just wasn't his thing.

Not impossible. I know God changes hearts.

But improbable.

When I shared my surprise with his father-in-law, he responded with words I needed to hear.

"Good news. He takes all sinners."

Yes. He does.

And that includes me.

Sometimes I find it far too easy to judge the behaviors of others while forgetting how much of a sinner I was and am. And how much I still need the grace of God today.

I know what God has done in my own life. I know the transforming power of Jesus Christ. Yet somehow, I can look at another person's life and allow what I see on the outside to influence what I believe God might be doing on the inside.

But God was changing Vincenzo's heart. My travel schedule has me in other places, and God was working in my absence.

On Sunday morning, I received a glimpse of God's handiwork.

A Father's Declaration

After the first service, two men and their families gathered near the baptismal pool.

Vincenzo was the first to enter the water.

The emotion was clearly visible.

My heart was full as I watched this father, this husband, this friend, someone I dearly love and care about, publicly declare his faith in Jesus Christ. What could be better?

I thought about his daughters. I thought about his wife. I thought about the prayers the girls and I had prayed together that very morning and the many mornings before during sleepovers.

And I thought about the significance of a man choosing to follow Jesus and the influence that decision can have on his family.

Vincenzo confessed his faith in Christ, was immersed in the water, and was raised again.

A beautiful outward declaration of his identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.

The room erupted in cheers and applause, sprinkled with some leaky eyes.

And I rejoiced with them.

But the morning wasn't over.

A Young Man and a Holy Silence

The second man entered the baptismal pool.

I didn't know him.

I didn't know his name, his background, or anything about his life.

He appeared to be in his twenties.

As he stepped into the water, tears were streaming down his face.

He knelt in the pool and crossed his arms over his chest.

And then he waited.

There was a long pause as he tried to regain his composure.

I wondered whether he was afraid of the water. Was there something else making this moment difficult for him?

I didn't know.

But I knew there was a story.

The pastor waited with him.

No one rushed.

No one tried to hurry the moment along.

We simply watched as this young man prepared to publicly declare his faith in Jesus.

Finally, the pastor asked him to make his confession of faith.

Through his tears, the young man declared Jesus Christ as his Lord.

He took a deep breath.

He was ready.

The pastor paused again, making sure he was prepared.

Then he lowered him beneath the water and raised him again.

And what happened next is something I will not soon forget.

When the young man came up out of the water, he stood and clung to the pastor.

And the pastor held him.

There was no hurry.

No movement to bring the moment to a close.

The water dripped from them as they stood there holding one another.

And the room grew quiet.

No one moved.

No one spoke.

We simply watched.

It was a long moment.

But it wasn't awkward.

There was no need to fill the silence with words or applause.

We were witnessing something deeply personal between a young man and his Savior.

I cannot tell you everything he was experiencing in that moment.

I didn't know his story.

But I remembered my moment, and I knew I was privileged to be there.

The presence of God seemed to fill that space, and we were content to remain in the stillness.

There were many tears that morning.

Mine included.

His First Day in Church

Eventually, the two men left the pool. An usher explained that the pastor would pray over them, they would change their clothes, and we could meet them in the side hallway.

As we gathered in the hallway, we encountered some of the people who had come with the young man.

They began sharing his story.

According to those who knew him, this was the first day he had ever walked into a church.

The first day.

He had come to church that morning, heard the message, and responded.

He said yes to Jesus.

Yes to salvation.

And yes to baptism.

All in one morning.

Suddenly, those long moments in the water took on an even deeper significance.

I still don't know what brought him to church that day. I don't know what he had experienced before he walked through those doors, what burdens he carried, or what questions he may have been asking.

But I do know what he heard that morning.

One seed that was planted.

And that is what made this experience even more extraordinary to me.

He Heard the Word and Responded

The pastor had been teaching from Galatians about the struggle between our sinful nature and the Spirit.

The battle between the desires of the flesh and the life God calls us to live through His Spirit.

He offered three practical steps for allowing the Spirit to lead rather than giving in to our sinful nature.

Flee from Stupid. Feed the Spirit. Fix Your Mind.

Yes, there was some discussion about that first word!

But the message was clear. We have choices to make about the influences we allow into our lives, what we feed our hearts and minds, and whether we choose to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The pastor encouraged us to become a better version of ourselves by allowing God's Spirit to transform the way we live.

It was a message about the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer.

There was no traditional salvation invitation. No altar call asking those who wanted to receive Christ to come forward.

The pastor simply invited anyone who needed prayer to come to the front and let the congregation know that everything was available for anyone who wanted to be baptized.

And this young man, who had reportedly never walked into a church before that morning, responded.

He had heard a message about living differently.

And he wanted something different.

He wanted Jesus.

I don't know exactly what happened in his heart as he listened to that message. But I know that before the morning was over, he had publicly declared Jesus Christ as his Lord and followed Him in baptism.

He had come to church for the first time, heard the Word of God, and responded.

I have heard stories like this from the mission field. I have heard testimonies of people encountering the gospel and responding immediately.

But I had never personally witnessed something like this in America.

Until Sunday.

I had come to celebrate Vincenzo's baptism.

God allowed me to witness this young man's baptism, too.

And as I shared this experience with pastors in South Africa to encourage them, I realized that what I had witnessed was an encouragement I wanted to pass along to you, too.

Do Not Grow Weary

Pastors, missionaries, ministry workers, intercessors, and everyone who faithfully serves the Lord:

Do not grow weary.

You may prepare a sermon believing you know who needs to hear it, but you don't know who will walk through the doors.

You may pray for someone for years without seeing any evidence that their heart is changing.

You may faithfully share the gospel without ever knowing what God will do with your obedience.

Sometimes you see the fruit of your labor.

Sometimes you don't.

And sometimes, when you least expect it, God allows you to witness something extraordinary.

I don't know who invited that young man to church.

I don't know who prayed for him.

I don't know who greeted him when he walked through the doors.

But I know that people had faithfully prepared a place where he could hear the Word of God.

And on Sunday morning, he walked through those doors.

The apostle Paul reminds us:

"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."

Galatians 6:9, NLT

I think about the pastor who held that young man in the water.

He could not have known, when he arrived at church that morning, that he would be holding a man who had reportedly walked into church for the very first time and decided to follow Jesus.

But he was there.

Ready to serve.

Ready to baptize.

And willing to remain in that holy moment for as long as the young man needed.

What a privilege it is to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What a privilege to participate in His work, even when we cannot see what He is doing.

And what a privilege, every once in a while, to be allowed to witness the fruit.

I went to church on Sunday to celebrate one man's baptism.

I left celebrating two.

And I was reminded once again:

We never know what God is doing in the heart of the person standing in front of us.

Keep praying.

Keep serving.

Keep sharing the gospel.

And do not grow weary in doing good.