Last week I talked to the kids about accepting God as our Heavenly Father and inviting Jesus to live in our hearts. Call it an alter call if you will. Well, if you base the souls gained by the hands raised and the prayers repeated from the lips of babes then we can say that 20 kids accepted The Lord.
But I honestly don't give much credit to alter calls per say. Kids will repeat just about anything they hear especially if it is for an adult they love and respect. Kids want to please, so if you are asking them to do something, ie invite Jesus into their heart, they will do so without truly knowing what it is that they are doing. Living with and for God, to me, is a life calling, a daily choice, not a spontaneous decision you made when you were four. At least, I wouldn't base their salvation on it. I do however acknowledge the seeds that opportunities such as these plant. So I can confidently state that 20 God seeds were planted and more were watered. My children were two of these. Each with remarkably different reactions.
My daughter, nearly 5, says that she asked God into her heart. Of course my mommy heart knows this is a big deal and I will happily fan this flame. But I am also slightly skeptical, does she truly understand what this means? Or is she simply doing this because she thinks it is the right thing to do to please her mommy/teacher? So, I probed her on the car ride home. And again at bedtime. Her response is the same: "God, Jesus, lives in heaven and in my heart."
Me:" how did he get there?"
Her:" Because I like him so I asked him."
Me: "why?"
Her: " why what?"
Me:"why do you like him?"
Her:" because he died on the cross."
Me:" then what?"
Her:"mom, (rolls eyes) you know"
Me:"know what? Tell me."
Her:"he rose again."
Me:" but why did he die?"
Her:"because."
Me:"because why?"
Her:" mooom. Because of sin."
Good enough for me. For now anyway.
My son is another story altogether. While a Hannah prances around the house singing her church learned songs, Zechi is in a rebelling stage and wants to be the exact opposite of his sister. So if Hannah has Jesus in his heart, then he wants nothing to do with that! I really don't pay much attention when he states "I don't want Jesus in my heart." Because realistically I know it's just a phase. In fact, his sister said the same thing about a year ago. He doesn't understand. I doubt very much he is going to be condemned as a blasphemer at the age of three. Neither do I want to force my personal beliefs about God and Jesus on my children. If they don't own their faith as their own, then, they will inevitable stray from the foundations when faced with trials. I just tell him that hearing so makes my heart sad, which in truth, it does. But I leave it at that.
Last night, however, he was going on and on about how Jesus doesn't live in his heart. So, at bedtime, after prayers, I asked my three year old straight up "why don't you like Jesus?" He looked at me confused.
Him:"mom, I love Jesus?"
Me: "then why don't you want him in your heart?" He shrugged his shoulders.
Him: "can I read you a story from my bible?" (In reality it's my husbands broken nook with which Zechi calls his iPad"
Me:" of course" thinking the subject was dropped.
Him:"look at the pictures on my iPad mom. See it? it's a picture of me with Jesus. (Hand swipe screen to next pretend image) and this is a picture of Hannah and Jesus (hand swipe) and Tabby and a Jesus (hand swipe) and mommy and Jesus (Hands swipe) and Daddy and Jesus (Hands swipe) and ommie andJesus (Hands swipe) and papa and Jesus (Hands swipe) and these are my friends."
Me:"oh I see." Smiling. Pleased. Thinking he was done.
Him:" this is a picture of the cross, and mommy did you knowed they put nails in a Jesus?"
Me:"mmhmm" impressed. So he does listen.
Him:"and this is a picture of you cryng."
Me:"why am I crying?" Honestly perplexed, apparently not following the depth of this discussion.
Him:"because mommy, he died. Jesus died on the cross." At this he is very serious.
Me: lightbulb. "oh I see, why did he die?"
Him:"for our sons."
Me:slight giggle, but understanding his meaning full well
Him:"here's a picture of the angel. (Hands swipe) and this is the rock where they put him (Hands swipe) but he is not there he rosed again."
Me: getting involved in the depth of the details
Him:"and this is the volcano."
Me:"wait what? A volcano?"
Him:"mmhmm (very matter of factly) that's where Jesus threw all the bad guys.
Me:"oh I see"
Him: getting very excited now "yeah then Jesus went down in the volcano because the bad guys stole stuffs and he had to get it back. (Hands swipe) this is Jesus flying away."
Me:" yes that's cool huh?"
Him:"yup. He's a superhero. The end. Night mom."
Just like that.
Story is over.
Jesus is in his heart, whether he understands it or not. The foundation is built. In both of my kids. I pray these seeds planted continue to grow with water from the words and a little tender loving care. But for now, I sleep well knowing that my kids get it.
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