On most days, before bedtime I pray with Dan, my oldest son. We often
read stories from children’s Bible together. At times, Vincent joins, but he is
younger and finds it more difficult to concentrate and follow. For some
time, Dan has been feeling more comfortable in Sunday school. We attend English-speaking church here in
China, and at first his English was not good enough to fully participate. During
last year, however, it has been a pleasure to see that changing. I often bless
my children by placing hand over their head and saying: “The Lord bless you
and keep you! The Lord make his
face shine on you and be gracious to you! The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace!”
(Numbers 6; 24-26) The moment of talk, stories and prayer has become something that
Dan is looking forward to for ending the day in a peaceful and resolved state. We
talk through and apologize to each other if there have been some rough moments
during the day. We pray for matters he himself signifies as topical – success at
school, good dreams, and also things important to other family members. I hope
he learns that we can entrust all matters to God and He will help to carry our
burdens.
It was an ordinary
evening of last week when as normally, before the sleep I would join Dan on his
bed to pray a bit together. This time, however, I felt a bit different urge
than just to say the usual prayer about daily matters. Though I felt tired, it
was late, and this was quite usual evening, I suddenly asked Dan: “Do you want
to invite Jesus into your heart?” We have been reading about Him from
children’s Bible most of the evenings for several years, so he is familiar
already what Jesus is about. He has been excited the most about the stories of
healing and mercy shown to the suffering, such as the story of the good
Samaritan. At his age of 7, he has realized the inevitability of old age and
death and wondered how long will he live and how would he be able to handle
life after we, the parents, are gone. So why not here, why not now, to ask if
he wants to invite Jesus in his heart?
He answered: “Ok, we
can do that.” I said: “Alright, then repeat after me”, and prayed something
like this, having Dan repeat every sentence: “Jesus, forgive my sins. (…) Come
into my heart. (…) Fill me by Your Holy Spirit and give me wisdom each moment. (…)
Fulfill your purpose in my life." I afterwards explained that when Jesus lives
in his heart, He will guide him and give him wisdom what to do even if we,
parents, are not next to him. I advised that he can pray: “Help me, Jesus!” - and
then listen to a quiet voice inside his heart, and Jesus will advise him what
to do and will protect him from evil. We will also meet up in heaven after we
die. I suddenly remembered how preacher in my hometown shared that he prayed
with his son, who is about the same age, to accept Jesus and his son felt
warmth coming into his heart and told this to his father. ”Did you feel warmth
coming into your heart?” – I jokingly asked Dan. “Yeah, maybe… perhaps I did,”
he answered.
Probably he will
remember this moment later in his life. I have heard people giving testimonies
of surrendering their lives to God as kids. Childhood may be a good time to
invite Jesus into one’s life if there are such conditions, because the hearts
of children are more tender and open and oftentimes closer to God. Or, it might
also be that the real turning point comes later. Anyways, I think it was just a
good day to invite Jesus into his heart. Jesus said, “Let the little
children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to
such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the
kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and
blessed them.” (Mark 10; 14-16)
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