I have read a number of accounts of the baptism service for Jade Goody and her two sons Bobby and Freddie. There have been both emotional accounts and criticisms of the decision, from those who understand what baptism is to those who have a folk lore view of it at best. We may question lots of Jade's decisions, her courting of publicity, but I don't believe that we can really question her sincerity in this, and so I would like to share another view, yes an outside and uninformed view of yet another onlooker, but also the view of a mother, and a Christian who believes that God's grace is far reaching....
The Daily Telegraph presents this account:
"She told close friends: "Nothing will stop me from being there," according to the Daily Star newspaper.
She added: "I'm absolutely exhausted. But I've got to keep going for my boys. I want them to believe in Jesus and God. I want them to believe in Heaven.
"When I told them I was going to Heaven, Freddie said to me: 'Heaven is a bad place, it's where people go when they die.'
"And I said: 'No, that's not right. It's where people who are poorly go to get better.' I've got just one thing left to do – to see them Christened."
Jade's view of Heaven as a place where poorly people go to get better touched my heart, my own son Chris suffers from a congenital heart condition, when he was small his favourite Bible verses were from Revelation 21 vs. 3-4:
"I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
I believe that this is what Jade is looking for for herself and for her sons, and that as a mother she is seeking this assurance for her sons first. Her faith may not be complete, but I don't believe that God minds about that ( or lets face it folks we'd all be sunk!!!), her understanding might be flawed but that is not important now, what is important is that she is reaching out to something beyond herself, something more than riches or fame; something eternal!
The Bible tells us that those who seek God will find him when they seek him with their whole heart ( Jeremiah 29: 13). I believe that Jade in her own way is reaching out to God for that assurance, she has been driven to it by love for her sons, and that love has become a window to a love much greater, the unconditional love of the God who created her and loves her beyond her wildest imagination.
Jade is dying, she can't take anything with her but peace and an assurance that she is loved and that those she leaves behind are loved and cared for, she has looked out not only for the financial security of her family, but also for their spiritual security. She cannot choose faith for her sons, but she has chosen to make a statement of hope through this baptism, by placing herself and her sons into God's hands, and by entering into the family of the church.
As a Christian then I believe that it is my duty, and my privilege to pray for her, and her family, and I want to add well done Jade, you have chosen well, because you have caught a glimpse of the loving heart of God, and by your choice you have opened a window for others to look through, so thank you, and May God bless and keep you. More than that, I have every confidence in saying this because I believe that God loves you and will honour your chice to seek him out...
