THE BENINGING

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 168

“In the beninging”—and yah, that's intentionally spelled wrong in honor of those who affirmed their baptisms today—God chose you to be in Christ (Ephesians 1:4). This happened in the very beginning of the beninging, long before the Earth’s foundations were even laid. That kind of beninging!

It’s a beautiful, almost mind-boggling concept when you really think about it. God chose you, and me, and everyone who believes in Him. God knew you and thought of you before time was even time.

Take a moment to dwell on that. Personally, I can’t quite fathom it. Not one bit. Yet, I believe it lock, stock, and barrel.

Today, "the five" stood up before God and everyone—well, maybe not everyone, but in front of our congregation, their pastor (ahem, that’d be me), and their parents, grandparents, siblings, aunties, and uncles—and openly declared their faith without reservation.

They were as ready as ready can be at their age. For the past thirteen or fourteen years, they’ve relied on God’s good graces and their elders to carry them along in the faith. But after years of instruction, challenging their hearts and their noggins, they’ve come into their own—at least, the beninging of it. Today was the day they affirmed to God that they believe in Him.

Belief is a powerful thing, too. It might just be one of the most powerful forces in the universe. Belief carries our souls from this mortal life into immortality. It transcends all human logic and understanding because it’s entirely a matter of the heart. Over the past two years, I’ve watched the belief in these five kiddos grow—first like little sprouts just above the soil of their hearts, and now into maturing plants that are forming blossoms, which will hopefully one day produce fruit.

I’m thankful for many things in life, especially those five kids. I know I wrote about them just a few days ago, and while they are the object of today's post, they aren't entirely its subject. God’s providential grace is. For reasons we can’t fully comprehend, God decided to share His creation with creatures He knew would stumble.

Before He ever designed the biology to house our souls, He foresaw us all, knowing we would rebel against Him. Yet, in His mercy and grace, in His providential love, He chose us anyway so we could be reunited with Him. Today, of all days, He chose to dispense His grace upon these five kids so that they might dwell with Him for all eternity. And for that, on this 168th day of our journey, I am profoundly grateful.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Layla and Brayden, for Eli, Zach, and Julia. Thank You for creating them, and for choosing them from the beginning of the beninging, making them each wholly Yours. Continue to do a good work in them, bringing to completion that which You began so many years ago. Amen.