Caleb's Day

A few months back...November 15th to be exact...we had Caleb's baptism ceremony. It was a very sweet service. All of our children's baptisms have been special to me; I guess it should be, after all it is a covenant with the Lord in which we enter.

For those of you not familiar with the covenant of infant baptism, click here to read the letter from Pastor Reeder regarding the purpose. During the service we are called to answer three covenantal (not sure that is a word) questions:

I. Do you acknowledge your child's need of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, and the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit?

II. Do you claim God's covenant promises in Caleb Suell’s behalf, and do you look in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ for his salvation, as you do for your own?
III. Do you now unreservedly dedicate your child to God, and promise, in humble reliance upon divine grace, that you will endeavor to set before Caleb Suell a godly example, that you will pray with and for Caleb Suell, that you will teach the means of God's appointment to bring up Caleb Suell in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?

Afterward, Neal is asked to name our child and state a blessing. Here is what Neal had to say to Caleb:

Caleb Suell, your mother and I love you very much. Our prayer for you is that you will have a different spirit than the world by following the Lord fully (Numbers 14:24) and that you will echo the words of Habakkuk: "I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." (Habakkuk 3:18). We also pray that like Jeremiah the word of God becomes to you a joy to consume and the delight of your heart (Jeremiah 15:16).

After the service the whole family ate brunch together in honor of Caleb. Everything about the day was beautiful.

One final note...The reason Anna Grace is wearing her coat during the service is simple. When she was reluctant to put it on that morning, I told her she looked like a princess wearing it. After that we could not get her to take it off. Oops.