The royal officer was
Reading from Isaiah.
"Do you understand", he asked
"Of who it is spoken of?"

"How can I understand", said he
"Unless a man tell me."
Phillip spoke for the Lord ~
His suffering for thee.

Hearing the words of salvation,
He accepted, with his heart,
The wondrous words ~
In whole, not just a part.

He heard about baptism,
As to follow his Lord Jesus.
Seeking water up ahead,
Asked, "What would hinder us?"

So, Phillip baptized the officer
According to the Word;
Obedience unto salvation
As the holy Word he heard.

In desert sands, yet, today,
They still hear salvation's cry,
"Who will follow me?" says God.
Some came forth saying, "Lord, here I am."

So, even today, some still will come
And ask, "What would hinder me?"
The chaplain, serving in the desert sands,
Says, "I will baptize thee."

Into the water of a makeshift baptistery,
The young soldiers came.
Into the waters, just like Christ,
Never to be the same.

God provides the water
In desert places, even now.
He always seems to work it out
As the soldiers to Christ still bow.

So, in desert places,
From home, so far away ~
Young men and women
Were baptized there, on Wednesday.

Into battle they soon must go.
But, the Word of God fulfills.
As, nothing in desert places
Kept them from His will.

Our prayers go with them all;
Honorable, young, and brave
As like the Lord.
It's their all that some have already gave.

Surrendered to the Lord,
Baptized in His grace, ~
Off to a raging war
In that desert place.

In Matthew 3:16-17 It says,
"And Jesus, when he was baptized,
went straightway out of the water
and lo, Heaven was opened unto Him,
and there came a spirit
In the form of a dove and it lit on Him
And a voice was heard of the Father, saying,
'This in my son, in whom I am well pleased.

I can almost heat that voice today,
Right now, saying, "These are my children
Who have not been hindered in this desert place
To follow after me. I am well pleased".