What is required?

Looking back at Marv's Sunday school lesson again, a couple of questions arise.

1. Must we be baptized? I like what the Methodist Church says about baptism in the book "By Water and the Spirit." (and I'm paraphrasing) Baptism is a sacrament established by God to bring us closer to him -- as a means of grace to bring us into relationship. It's important, and it's a gift of God. To say that it is a requirement, though, is to limit God. It's a gift that he has given us, but he can bring us closer to him, into relationship, in any way he wishes.
   
2. What about what I talked about yesterday? Must there be a moment of conversion? A time when we say, "yes" to God?" Maybe there does need to be a time when we each say "yes" to God. Perhaps, though, that "yes" isn't always a statement spoken. Perhaps it is a "yes" of action. Perhaps it is a "yes" to God in prayer. Perhaps it is an opening of our ears instead of our mouths. Perhaps, for some, the conversion moment is different from others. It is God; I'm not going to limit what he can do.

To sum it up, I doubt that grace has rules and requirements on our part. Grace makes a way. God tries to show us the easiest, most obvious way, and I imagine that he hopes we will follow on that path, but he doesn't give up.

Love will find a way. Even if we miss the turn or don't take the obvious road. Thank God.