Chapter 14
The Baptism
That night everyone stayed at Mike's house, talking, telling stories, eating pizza, and playing all kinds of games. It was a wonderful time to forget about the past and to look forward to the future that the Lord had given them all. Their friend, Sam, was released at seven from the hospital, and was coming over to join them. They couldn't wait to see him.
Mike and Larry were talking about things that happened when they were kids. Like the time Larry fell out of the fishing boat when a snake dropped on him. They later learned that is was a harmless chicken snake. They laughed about the good old days. While the younger men played cards.
It was so late when things started to wind down. Mellissa took Sam home. Carl crashed on the floor in the living room, Lewis against the wall. Samantha went to bed upstairs in Lewis's room. The only two still awake was Mike and Larry, and they were both talking.
"Lewis told me what happened to Anne. I'm sorry about that."
"Me too, that was when I decided devote my time to the military permanently. I was so hurt, so destroyed that I didn't know what to do. Instead of me bringing Lewis to you or your family, I sent him to boarding school away from everyone and everything. I blamed Grissom because the investigation that had been done said it was his men that bombed the mall. Did you know that Anne was pregnant, when she died? She went back in at the last minute to buy a baby blanket."
Mike sat there thinking. His beautiful sister had been pregnant. Anne had been so sweet, caring, and loved by everyone she met. Yet, she'd died a horrible, painful death that had taken not only her but her unborn child as well.
"I now know it wasn't Grissom and his men. I should have known better then. He would never have attacked civilians. Boy was I stupid."
"You know better now and that's what matters. I'm not mad at you, Larry. Your son is a wonderful young man. He's strong and has so much faith. You should be proud of him."
"I am proud of him. He even stood up to me and everyone else and told the truth."
That Saturday they all went to the park for a baptism and a picnic. Mike had talked to Carl about Baptism, point out that is was a commandment from the Lord to show the church that you had been born again and wanted to follow the Lord. Lewis and Larry talked to Mike and decided to be baptized as well.
The small park had a creek that was around five feet deep and the cleanest water, which sparkled in the sunlight. In the middle of the creek was the pastor of Mike's church, Cameron Pierce. Mike took Lewis's hand and they both walked to the middle of the creek to stand before Cameron. "Lewis Johnson, do you promise to serve the Lord for as long as you live?"
"I do," said Lewis.
"Then I baptize you, in the name of the Father, and in the name of the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Taking Lewis's hand and placing it over the mouth and nose, Cameron then took his other hand and placed it behind Lewis's back. He gently leaned Lewis back into the water until he was completely submerged in the creek.
As Lewis came up out of the cleansing water for the first time he could remember, there was no stress, and he felt truly at peace. There was no condemnation, just forgiveness. He was a new creation in Christ, and nothing would change that. He had finally taken off the nasty dirty clothes he had been wearing all his life to put on the clothes of righteousness. He looked up to the sky, and raised his hands to rejoice and praise the Lord. The peace that surpassed all understanding was upon not only him, but his family and friends as well.
He stood on the creek bank, watching as his father was baptized. Lewis was more than relieved to see his dad saved. They were a family once more. He wondered for a moment how proud his mom would have been to have the both of them saved. Lewis smiled and praised the Lord each time one of them was baptized. There was hope, love, and freedom to be found through Jesus Christ; and no one could take that away from him. Blessed be name of the Lord Jesus, forever.
A-Men.