Aug 3, 2021 A small step for María, a giant leap for faith
Gospel workers in Uruguay found themselves completely exhausted the last Sabbath in June. The team had given their all in two weeks of intense outreach. They offered two meetings every day; an early, in-person meeting at 4 pm and a second Facebook Livestream later in the evening.
The impact was powerful, and the team could see God working in the hearts of the community during their two weeks of proclaiming the gospel in El Dorado. Still, they were tired and ready for a rest.
One of the nine new believers to be baptized that Sabbath was María Esther. A few years before, she had suffered a devastating stroke that confined her to a wheelchair. Despite that, she studied the Bible with the gospel workers, eagerly participating in the daily meetings.
Soon, she made up her mind. She wanted to follow her friend Jesus! A profession of faith seemed very appropriate due to her physical limitations. But María Esther wasn’t going to let her situation keep her from being baptized! She was determined to declare her love for Jesus and be reborn into His family.
That Sabbath, María Esther asked the deacons and elders to help get out of her chair and into the baptismal. Then, gingerly, she took the first step of the rest of her life into the baptistry with the gentle help of her brothers in Christ.
With the support of a team of church deacons, María Esther was reborn into the family of God! A small difficult physical step for María represented her giant leap forward in faith.
The team’s fatigue faded away as they joyfully celebrated this incredible milestone in the lives of María Esther and the eight new believers that were baptized into God’s family that day. Praise God!
Paul wrote in Ephesians 4: 1-5 (NIV), “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Baptism was a giant leap for María Esther, and the first step she and the gospel workers have taken as they get closer to Jesus.
Welcome to the family, María Esther! May God give you peace and fill your heart with His joy. We are praying for you and your entire church family!
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