As our Pastor called the baptism candidates forward, I watched with my 9 year old son as only one single guy came to the front. Baptism Sunday is one of my favorite Sunday’s. The symbolism and beauty of watching someone be submerged and come out new in Christ is a tear-jerking experience for me every time.
I felt a tiny shift in my spirit as I looked at the one person at the front. One.
The single man spoke a few words about who he was before he knew Christ and then who he was now in Christ then- DUNK.
My son must’ve felt the same “shift” as he leaned over to me and said, “there’s only one?” To my son’s credit, there’s usually a group of people getting baptized on these mornings, but this time, there was just the one.
From our perspective, we might tend to view that as less impactful: just one. We may have a bend toward having these amazingly dramatic moments at church and in every day life. What is more exciting than a grandiose revival of the masses? Bring on the boat loads of people who step out of their seats and step into beautifully transformed lives! There isn’t anything wrong with wanting to see a large number of people saved, but perhaps we’ve desensitized ourselves from reveling in the personal gift of salvation.
As I sat and let my son’s words stir up these thoughts in my mind, I felt the love of God move in my heart. “You were that one,” He whispered.
I was. I was lost and broken and far from God. I was living selfishly and recklessly. But somebody prayed. Somebody prayed for me as a daughter, as a friend, and as a future wife. God kept pursuing me and because of Him and those people that prayed, I was SAVED. Spiritually, eternally and literally.
On this morning, with this one man in front of the whole congregation to see, God wasn’t disappointed. His heart was bursting with joy for THE ONE. This man’s heart and obedience to God’s word was set, and because of that, ALL the angels in heaven rejoiced and God smiled on him.
His soul has found its place.
God sees every ONE and every ONE counts. He sees the girl, who’s hardened her heart after years of compromising herself. He sees the wild defiant boy, who went his own way, lost in the thrill of the moment. His eyes have watched every moment of the old man, weathered from life, stubborn and cynical. Each one, God goes after ceaselessly. Each one is a treasured son or daughter He wants to bring out of the wilderness and into His home.
In the books of Matthew and Luke, we read numerous accounts of Jesus calling out the one. Jesus calls Matthew by name to come follow Him. Matthew who was a trader to His people, was still sought after by God. Zacchaeus, another tax collector, had an encounter with Jesus as He intentionally went to be with him at his house, and his life was changed. Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep, where God rejoices for the one soul that was lost and found again. Time and time again we see God's love for every soul that comes to Him.
Whether it's one alone or one in a group of 500, there will not be a single salvation celebrated less by our Father God.
Who is that one in your life? Your sister. Your friend. Your coworker. Is it you? There is nothing insignificant about one.
After that Sunday morning, my heart has never been clearer on how personally God sees us. He celebrates our returning to Him, and desires for all of us to know we are loved and that we belong.
He sees you as one. His chosen one. Will you choose Him back?
