Pentecost 16 C - Psalm 1

Psalm 1 

“They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither.” (Psalm 1:3)

I’m blogging late today because I got up very early in the morning to drive to Houston. I had a date with the loveliest little girl, Allyson Josephine Morbach, who cooed when I cradled her and seemed as delighted with me as I was with her.  Allyson is the 3 month old granddaughter of Calvary members Joe and Kathy Morbach. Allyson’s parents, Ed and Nikki, had planned on having Allyson baptized this Sunday at Calvary but Allyson was born with what is commonly called “blue baby syndrome” and tomorrow will have open heart surgery at Children’s Medical Center to correct the problem. Other than objecting to blood being drawn (who doesn’t?) she was as pleasant as could be and even at three months possesses a personality that will no doubt do some future heart healing for others. So I spent some time talking with Ed and Nikki – incredible, loving parents btw – about this and that and then because there was a sink in the room and there was nothing to prevent us (Acts 8:36) we baptized Allyson into the name of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We didn’t baptize her because we were worried about Allyson’s future, as if baptism was some kind of insurance policy for salvation. We did it because the water and the word are a visible sign of God’s promise to all the baptized, “I have called you by name. You are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1) We did it because the water and the word reminds anxious parents and grandparents and a pastor whose heart has been been captured by a cuddle of the promise “God with us” whether surgery is involved or not. More than that we did it so that Allyson Josephine, reborn today on the 20^th floor of Children’s Medical Center, Houston, TX could put her little roots down into streams of living water. Tomorrow we will trust the gifts of the medical team at Children’s and the prayers of the faithful and the mercy of God so that Allyson will grow into the life of the Spirit poured out upon her today - the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in God’s presence. And so we welcome, Allyson Josephine, into the Lord’s family and look forward to the life she will live delighting in Lord.