Wade in the Water and Flowing Baptismal Waters

Wade in the water
Wade in the water, children,
Wade in the water
God's a-going to trouble the water

See that host all dressed in white
God's a-going to trouble the water
The leader looks like the Israelite
God's a-going to trouble the water

See that band all dressed in red
God's a-going to trouble the water
Looks like the band that Moses led
God's a-going to trouble the water

Look over yonder, what do you see?
God's a-going to trouble the water
The Holy Ghost a-coming on me
God's a-going to trouble the water

If you don't believe I've been redeemed
God's a-going to trouble the water
Just follow me down to the Jordan's stream
God's a-going to trouble the water

(Wade in the Water is the name of a Negro spiritual first published in New Jubilee Songs as Sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers (1901) by John Wesley Work II and his brother, Frederick J. Work (see Fisk Jubilee Singers)

Rooted deep in the early days of Christianity is the notion of using the time before Easter to prepare people for Easter baptisms - for Christian initiation. Because it was so early in the formation of Christianity many of these individuals would be adults. It was partly a time to pay attention to moral and behavioral formation. There was instruction on payer, on forgiveness of injuries and insults, and on sin and repentance.  It was a great time to take stock of one's personal and faith life.

At Grace, we sing Wade in the Water almost every time we do a baptism. The words jump out and speak to the actions of baptism and new life. Through our baptism we take on the responsibility to carry out our lives as Jesus would have us live.

The Grace Worship Team has decided not to close the baptismal font during Lent - a practice used to remind us that we do not baptize during Lent, we prepare for baptism. Instead we will have it open with some flowing water to draw us to the reminder that the water that washed over us and renews us is the water at our baptism.  We want the community to be focusing on what it means to renew our own baptismal promises at the Easter Vigil.

Jesus is the living water of our lives.  We are the water of the lives of many. Take a moment to pause at the font and look at the water and ask yourself what it might mean to truly live into being living waters of the world.

-Shawn