MADE NEW! What a great surprise to see on the beach here in Ocean Grove, NJ, God’s Square Mile.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2Cor5:17
I came upon youth being baptized in the ocean – a City Reach Church – maybe a hundred blue t-shirted beacons of hope – oh such a blessing to share in that praise! It was such a great sight – especially in those blue t-shirts that stated: “MADE NEW” – hundreds who had “O what a fore-taste of glory divine”. I pray those youth to have that feeling of LOVE wash over them just like those waves – over and over again – and for them to share that love over and over again with all folks they come in contact with – we are Jesus’s Hands and Feet – and LOVE.
And YES, after they were all done, seeing a few others from the crowd come forward, I decided to ask to be made new again too – as in REMADE RENEWED REASURRED in JESUS! A “bucket list” of mine – immersion baptism for that visual and feeling – ever since my awakening, nearly 10 years ago now. This was not just a bucket of baptism but a whole immersion – Naaman-style… I know my baptism by my parents is totally valid, but thought I (we) could use a refreshing refresher recommitment, every day, every moment really… Grace and Mercy – Immersion never felt so good! And in the Spirit AND in the Lord!!!
When I had originally walked down the beach, in this perfect late summer weather, I was thinking it was good to digest my lunch with a walk. And isn’t that but a taste to the forever digesting walk of Christian Faith – every step – every day. Nourishment is good for the body and the soul. Within a few steps, I found myself in the excitement of the IMMERSION BAPTISMS of a city-reaching, youth-loving church bringing maybe up to 100 young people to the beach for the day – WOW – and the blue t-shirts were the best – “MADE NEW”… Oh what a blessed truth of living and walking with Jesus – we are MADE NEW in Christ Jesus.
I watched and watched – such joy – I thought “hmmm… could I partake?” I knew that I had the joy – I knew that I had already been baptized and did not feel the need for that confirmation of faith – but I still had a slice of want in my humanness to have the immersion baptism… It was cool – not the water – just cool to be there. It was refreshing – yes the water and the baptism. It was Blessed Assurance – yes because, as Fanny Crosby wrote: “Jesus is Mine.”
“Coincidentally, I brought a great little book on the life of Fanny Crosby as my “beach book.” Fanny Crosby served the Lord – writing thousands of songs and poems – she lived until she was 95 – completely blind from birth. And she travelled extensively and wrote and wrote and wrote. If only we could get to serve the Lord so many years, wow… and in this “God’s Square Mile” – with the amazing “Camp Meeting” revival – she wrote “Blessed Assurance”, one of the most famous hymns to come out of Ocean Grove and of the whole revival movements of the late 1800’s sweeping the east coast of the US as well as the country. Fanny Crosby and Ocean Grove friend Phoebe Knapp put the great soul-satisfying assurance to the page. “Jesus is Mine – oh what a foretaste of glory divine”
What I appreciated by the baptisms was the witness and encouragement – and there were hundreds watching including smiling lifeguards who sectioned off this small area for them. And on the beach there were thousands that might have seen. What I felt for them was the Spirit in knowing Joy. What I felt for myself – even after this immersion baptism was not a lightning strike or mountain moved – or earth shatter – it was first the hugs of the brother and sister in Christ who helped me – and simply and spiritually it was the same “Blessed Assurance” feeling – a refresh yes – a recommitment yes – but deep inside me – Jesus already HAS given me that “foretaste of glory divine” which gets me through each day. That blessed assurance is what raises me up from the water just like the helping hands after the immersion – just like the floating of my Spirit before and after living day to day. Jesus has already made the sacrifice and we are just to be renewed in the knowledge of it every day every moment – like waves coming to the beach – they break over us in glory.
I am approaching 10 years next turn of the calendar year to 2025 from my 2015 awakening – nothing will ever feel as earth shattering as giving my life to Jesus then. I was saved by being led directly by God Himself, led to Jesus’s Hand. My “Jairus’s daughter-like awakening” was Salvation in the savor of the Savior – who had to introduce Himself to my unknown lost soul. We are Saved by His Hands, I pray you all know and feel that feeling of being woken up by Jesus, that feeling of “nothing can snatch you out of My Hand.”
Jesus said: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-31)
May we all be finding that peace in the piece of God’s Hand holding us. “This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long.” Yes, thanks Lord for that Blessed Assurance. Thank You Lord – for extending Your Kingdom to all these new baptized souls – “Born of His Spirit – Washed in His Blood”.
And THANK YOU City Reach Church – from my soul too. We will all catch up in Heaven one day – and for now: “Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.”
Keep keeping on.
Amen
“Blessed Assurance” Lyrics:
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine; Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Chorus: This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight; Angels descending, bring from above. Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest; Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
Here is the Wiki history of the song, by Fanny Crosby and Phoebe Knapp: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blessed_Assurance
Debbie Upper 