RUN to your Father

The last week of every month we have baptisms at ACF Church, and it is my favorite Sunday. I love celebrating with God's children, in this outward expression of faith. When an ACF Kids kiddo makes the decision to be baptized, I am especially excited to witness and rejoice with them and their family.

Today we had multiple children choose baptism including Sadie. Sadie is one of our ACF Kid Captains and serves on Sunday mornings. She is my special helper and assists in setting up rooms, plays games with our preschoolers, and greets everyone with her beautiful smile. She showed up ready to be baptized today, which is a decision she did not take lightly. She had asked me about baptism a month ago, and I asked her to pray over this important step in her faith every night until it was time for our next baptism. She was bubbling, and...well I will let her tell you.

I stood in the foyer after baptisms and was overcome with emotion as I witnessed a daddy-daughter moment. A moment when there was pure love radiating and the joy was tangible. Pastor Stuart had just baptized his seven-year-old daughter, Sadie. He knelt, arms held out in expectation, ready to embrace his little disciple. Her eyes met his, and she ran to him barefoot and smiling. They connected in the sweetest embrace, and she clung to him in a moment of total love. I felt the presence of our Father at that moment, and I realized this is a picture of the type of love God has for us.

God wants you to run to him so He can redeem you with His perfect love. He is waiting with outstretched arms, looking right at you, and sees the real you. He wants you to choose to see the love He offers is unconditional. He is waiting to embrace you as His child.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1

This week let us remember that we are children of God! He loves us even more than our earthly Father, and He is so excited to wrap you up in His arms. He wants us to run to Him, to cling to Him, to give Him all our hurts, fears, pain, and to celebrate the moments of joy and goodness. He is standing with open arms, ready to catch us, carry us, and sustain us through each moment. He wants to lavish you with love, so this week RUN to your Father!

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