Mud Puddles

Have you ever noticed that we tend to get comfortable in our faith? We know what denomination we are, where we worship, what pew we sit in, and what charities we support.

When we were baptized we were not called to be comfy – we were liberated from sin and freed to share that liberation with others. Baptism prepares us to get messy in a world that doesn’t encourage liberation - to go where we fear, fight for justice, and love the outcast. I often preach about what it means to be messy in faith – and sometimes feel the call to live it out, literally.

It was a Monday afternoon, the sun was high and I was leaving the church. It had rained quite a bit and there was a big mud puddle out front.

I couldn’t resist!

I removed my shoes and took a leap while realizing that half the neighborhood was watching some lady with a clerical collar taking a leap into a mud puddle. I braced myself for the shock of the cold water hitting my feet. I landed and well... the lesson learned that Monday was playing in mud puddles down south was different than other experiences I had. The water was at least 130 degrees, the grass was not soft on the feet, and a lizard or two came out of nowhere scaring me.

I quickly got out of the puddle wiped my feet off and got in my car. I had not played in a mud puddle in quite some time so I had forgotten the shock of the puddle. I had only remembered the fun of the puddle. We often go into situations expecting something. I jumped expecting cold and landed experiencing extreme warmth. The shock is what made me get out quickly. The shock is what made me forget the playfulness or joy of the act.

Sometimes it takes retreating to see joy when things are messy. God’s presence is very much alive daily in our life. I hope we can remember to retreat daily and be renewed through the baptismal promise. I hope we can experience it, embrace it and remember to play in the reality together.

In Holy Baptism our gracious heavenly Father liberates us from sin and death by joining us to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN!