|
Beth Fontana:
"Imagine
with me if you will a girl growing up in a Christian home. She had loving
parents, three older brothers and a younger sister. She experienced many
blessings living in this home. She saw love in action. In fact, this little
girl continued to see her parents share their lives with people in NEED. She
would go with her family as they would share meals with a family who had no
money. There were times that her church would minister to the neighborhood
it was surrounded by and the NEEDS were great there too. In fact, she saw
first-hand the lack of care some children received, even physical abuse.
This little girl was so affected by one boy who was in the bus ministry that
had terrible round burns all over his body that one day she asked him what
had happened and he reluctantly told her that his dad would put out his
cigarettes on him. This young lady didn't understand, but one thing she did
know is how NEEDY he was. She recognized that people all around her were in
NEED and she desperately wanted to help meet that NEED. Never did she
suspect she was in NEED, too.
However, one Sunday
morning, Palm Sunday at age 6 she was sitting with her Sunday school teacher
and her Sunday school class. A woman named Mrs. Johnson shared about what
God had done for them through his Son, Jesus Christ. She shared that Jesus
loved them so much that he died for their sins. She explained what sin was
and this shy, six-year-old knew exactly what she meant. She could relate in
her spirit that she was a sinner. Mrs. Johnson continued to share that Jesus
took everyone's sins on himself and yet He never did anything wrong. Jesus
took the sins of everyone so that anyone who would receive Him into their
lives could be with God forever. Then Mrs. Johnson asked each child sitting
at that table if they had ever asked Jesus into their lives. Every child
said yes, including that six-year-old little girl. This little girl knew
right away she had lied . . . but she could not stop thinking about what God
had done for her.
|
|
|
|
After church, her
mother and sister were driving home and this little girl looked up at her
mom and said, "Mom, I cannot believe what God did for us!" The mother
replied, "What do you mean?" That green-eyed, shy, not so NEEDY little girl
realized she was very, very NEEDY. She realized she was lost, she realized
she was separated from God and most of all she realized her NEED for a
Savior. That little girl was overwhelmed by what Jesus had done for her on
the cross almost 2,000 years ago. She realized she NEEDED to be forgiven and
she NEEDED to ask Jesus into her heart. It was then that her mother had the
privilege of praying the prayer of salvation with her daughter. Can you
imagine the excitement that welled up in that mother's heart?
The NEED didn't stop
there, it proceeded in her background that Palm Sunday where the sky was
clear and for the first time the birds were singing the most beautiful songs
she had ever heard. The little girl had a NEED to immediately praise God
with song. As she sang "Jesus Loves Me," her Jewish neighbor boy who was
about the same age came out and wanted to play. Well, the NEED didn't stop
there, she NEEDED to tell him about all that God did for him through his
Son, Jesus. Now at this point, she made that little boy ask Jesus into his
heart. She doesn't know what ever came of that little boy, but she knew his
NEED was Jesus as his Savior, too.
Now, I have heard it
said by many people that children can not fully understand what Christ did
for them on the cross, but I say they are wrong because when God touches a
heart, He doesn't look at their age . . . He just touches them because He
knows their NEED and He is the only one who knows how to meet that NEED!
This is why Jesus said
in Matthew 19:14, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them
for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." This is my testimony
and it is not just about me, but about God's great work in a six-year-old's
heart and the faithfulness of a Sunday school teacher who never thought
twice about the ages of the children she was talking to, but she chose to
trust in a God who meets the NEEDS of all people whether young or old. I am
thankful for her and her love for our Lord and her call to share His love
with me. When I think of Mrs. Johnson and others like her, which means all
of you, I cannot help but want to say what Paul said in Philippians 1: 3-6,
"I thank God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you. I
always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the
first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work
in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
This verse sums up our
partnership and our NEED for one another because," He who began a good work
in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." So let
us not become discouraged, but continue to remind each other of the NEEDS of
this world that only God can meet through His precious son Jesus Christ."
|
