The walls seem bare now. But for a few remnant pine needles on the floor, the place where our proud tree once stood, adorned with all its Christmas-ness is now vacant. I swell with arrogant pride about the fact that my exterior Christmas lights have been removed before some of those “other” people — the un-neighborly ones who have yet to de-decorate.

We’re on the other side of the “holidays” now. We’ve completed the requisite duty to visit our extended family members. We’ve sworn off all things bearing the words “pumpkin” or “peppermint” for at least a year. Gone is the controversy over cup-color from everyone’s favorite coffee chain. We’ve run through the moral implications and family headaches that come with returning those “meaningful” gifts people gave us. We’ve made peace with the fact that we ate too much. So, we’re also re-upping our commitment to that gym we keep paying for. It’s simultaneously a time to return to things as they ought to be AND a time to step courageously into some new things.

The Bible tells the story of new life bursting through in Jesus. Nothing puts that reality on display better than the symbol of baptism. It depicts the burial of an old life with its old patterns of behavior and thoughts and beautifully expresses the picture of a new life that has come in Jesus. This week, not only will we give people a chance to make a first time commitment to Jesus, we’ll also give people an opportunity to be baptized.

We’ll tell God’s story through the Bible. We’ll illustrate in baptism. This will be a great opportunity to include people who have never been to church, never really connected with Jesus, or who are simply curious about God. I can’t wait to see what God does this week at Mariners MV.

See you soon,

Jeff

P.S.: Don’t forget to register for the Refreshing Your Marriage conference at Mariners Church, Irvine (January (29th-30th). Our very own Doug Fields and Jim Burns will lead us through the experience. They’ll weave together humor and real-life conversations to make the “refreshing” experience approachable and meaningful. Last year, the whole Mariners MV staff attended and had an unbelievable time together. Join us. You won’t regret it.