Every so often, God throws you something that humbles you. Sometimes it's bad. Sometimes it's good. Mine, came last night. And it was good.
As many of you know, I'm a father of two girls: Courtney, age 8, and Caity, age 4 (5 this May). Courtney's been saved now for about 3 years. All of the time we spent giving her God's simple plan of salvation seemed to go over her head most of the time. But, one night after Wednesday night Awana, she came to her mom and asked her to help her ask Jesus into her heart. Since then, she's done alot to make me believe that her decision was real. One, would be her desire for her sister to come to know her Jesus.
We all have spent our time telling Caity about what Jesus did for her, and what God's plan for her salvation is. And, as most parents know, each child is different. Courtney is all heart. Caity is my thinker. She's been asking her mom and me about God alot lately. Questions like, "Since God's a spirit, does He wear clothes?"
And many other child-like questions. Last night, Courtney and I were talking about (of all things) Blackbeard the Pirate and how he died! Courtney said she was scared. So...I asked her where she thought he was now. She said he was probably in the Lake of Fire. I said he probably would be, and was in Hell, and that he couldn't hurt her now. She was pleased to know that she couldn't be hurt by a dead pirate...but her sister listened.
Later, when the two of them were going in to go to bed, they were talking about the Lake of Fire. Caity asked Courtney how she could be saved. Courtney said, "Go ask Daddy" and took her out to me. We were sitting down to watch American Idol, and here comes Caity asking me how to be saved. Needless to say, the TV got shut off.
I told her that the Bible says that we are all sinners and asked her if she knew what sin was. She said that it's the wrong things that we do. I told her that because of our sin, God has said we have to die, and that someday, her body would die, just like all of us. I told her too that a part of her, was already dead, and patted her on her chest. I said that if her body died with that part of her being dead too...she'd go to a place called Hell. She sat very still and tense while she listened. Then I told her that one day, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit decided that that wasn't good, and that They decided that Jesus would be born on Christmas morning, live His whole life without sinning, and die on the cross for our sins. I told her that God raised Jesus up from the dead 3 days later to show that He accepted Jesus payment for our sins.
Then I told her that God decided to give her a choice: she could pay for her own sins, by dying and going to Hell forever...or she could believe that Jesus paid for her sins. I asked her what she wanted to do. She said, "Believe." So, choking back some tears, I prayed and she prayed with me, telling Jesus that she believed He died for her sins, was buried and rose again 3 days later, asking Him to forgive her for her sins, and save her. When we were done, I asked her what she'd just done. Caity gets pretty shy at times like that, so she just said "Christian!" I asked her how she knew she was one. She said "Believe in God!" I asked her what she specifically believed, and she told me "Died for my sins!"
That humbled me greatly. I didn't go out looking for someone to witness to. God brought a very special someone straight to me. Sometimes God moves Heaven and Earth to bring one to Himself. Sometimes He moves a 4 year old girl to her Daddy. Anyway you look at it, God moves.
I shared the whole thing with everyone for 2 reasons: 1. It's exciting!!
2. Even a child can understand God's simple truth - so long as we don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. Maybe you're not a child, but this has hit home. Maybe you've made it more complicated than it needs to be. Maybe you don't know where you stand with God. Well, now you can know. God's plan is simple. His love is full. Won't you believe?
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