“See, Here Is Water”

The Spirit of the Lord guided Philip to a chariot in which a eunuch was puzzling over Isaiah 53:7-8. When Philip explained that this prophecy referred to Jesus Christ and began to teach the gospel, the eunuch was quickly convinced that Philip’s words were true. The chariot passed a body of water, and the eunuch said:

See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

Acts 8:36

Philip answered that if he believed in Jesus Christ, he could be baptized immediately. And so he was.

A couple of hundred years earlier in the Americas, the prophet Alma extended a similar invitation to a group of people who had gathered to hear him preach at a place called the waters of Mormon. “Behold, here are the waters of Mormon,” he said. After explaining to them the covenant of baptism, he asked, “What have you against being baptized?” The people responded enthusiastically, clapping their hands and shouting, “This is the desire of our hearts” (Mosiah 18:8-11).

As I’ve pondered these two events today, I’ve thought about how often I hesitate before taking action or making a commitment. Obviously, it’s not wise to be hasty, and sometimes further thought and analysis is required before making a decision. But sometimes, I think my indecisiveness is a manifestation of anxiety, and the only way to move forward is to simply commit. In those situations, I think it’s useful to follow the examples of the eunuch and of Alma’s people:

1. Recognize what’s possible. “Here is water.” I can be baptized right now if I choose to be. We may be overwhelmed by the full project ahead of us, but if we clearly identify the next step that we can take, then we have a basis for action.
2. Identify roadblocks. Ask yourself what’s holding you back from making a decision. “What doth hinder me?” or “What have [I] against” doing this? Framing a decision in those terms makes action the default. We will act unless there is a strong reason to wait. We won’t require overwhelming evidence before moving ahead.

Today, I will adopt an action orientation. I will decide and commit rather than wait for every question to be answered and every risk to be mitigated.