My Son, My Brother

This weekend will be exciting on a number of fronts for the Graber household. We have friends coming in from Indiana to spend a week with us. Did I mention that they have 5 children or maybe it's 6 now? Once they hit 4 I lost count. I'm looking forward to the week and some time with Tim and maybe even some golf. As if that wasn't enough, it's Father's Day on Sunday. Among all of the worldly titles that I have, I cherish the titles of Husband and Father above all of them. They are second only to "Child of God" which leads me to the most exciting thing that is happening this weekend. My son, Caleb, is getting baptized this Sunday morning. Two Sundays ago on June 14, Caleb came to Samantha and I and said that "we needed to talk." He said that he wanted to ask Jesus into his heart and be baptized. We spent some time asking him what that all meant and why he wanted to do this. Through the time we were talking it was very clear that God was working in Caleb's heart and that he understood that he was a sinner and that he needed a relationship with Jesus who died as a sacrifice for his sins. At that moment, my Son became my brother in Christ. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will see my son in heaven for an eternity. Caleb wanted to be baptized that night, instead he walked down front to talk to one of the pastors to join the church and schedule a time to be baptized. So that leads us to this week. I serve on the Baptism Committee as a deacon and have helped out with many baptisms. This week will be the first time that I'm going to need a towel for the new believer and one to wipe my own eyes and I witness my son follow through in obedience to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Welcome to the family, little brother.

Psalm 78:1-7

¹ O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.

² I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter hidden things, things from of old-

³ what we have heard and known,
what our fathers have told us.

⁴ We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,
his power, and the wonders he has done.

⁵ He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our forefathers
to teach their children,

⁶ so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.

⁷ Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.