Daily Archives: January 12, 2010
Can you hear angels rejoicing?
Zach accepted Christ this weekend. Well, I think he did. Only God knows his heart, and you know my reluctance to trust child conversions. But it seems that way and, in spite of myself, I’m excited. After all, angels may be celebrating, and I’m not one to miss out on a good party!
During an ice cream stop at the mall, Zach confessed that he didn’t want to die. Ellie, being the evangelist that she is, paused from her crusade of telling every passerby how much Jesus loves them to tell Zach that he should just believe in Jesus. I explained that when we put our trust in Jesus, we never die. Instead we just move from Earth to Heaven to live with God forever. Zach decided Heaven must be better than ice cream. He also assured me that Heaven is better than coffee. (The yet-to-be-glorified part of me wonders.) Then my little man prayed a simple prayer:
“God, I believe in you and I believe in Jesus. So does Ellie and Mommy and Daddy. And we all want to go to Heaven with You. Thank You for loving us and making Heaven better than ice cream. Amen.”
Such simple words, and yet such a huge step. Maybe he doesn’t understand justification or the total propitiation of sins. He’s probably clueless (as many of us are) about the depths of grace or the extent of Jesus’ sacrifice. But it’s a start. And it’s a big one.
~~~~~~~
“Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
“Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.”
– Luke 15:4–10 (The Message)
