The newest member of the flock...

Sunday, March 30, 2008

This afternoon my son asked Jesus into his heart.

It all began last night when he was having a bath and told me he had something to talk about. Being very serious, he told me he had a bad heart because he did things he knew were naughty, like disobey me and do things he knows I don't like him to do. He went on to say that he didn't think he should be 'a part of the family' for a few days and he wanted to just hang out by himself, I asked him why and he said because he feels bad inside for not doing good things. He said "Mom, I try to be good and I do good things for a coupla' days and then I just start wanting to be bad, and that makes me feel sad in my heart. I don't want to do bad things, but I do them. "
It was a bittersweet moment as a parent, especially as a Christian parent, because you never want your child to be sad or have guilt, but at the same time, you want them to be sad over their own sin; and it is a sweet and tender moment when you can see God revealing the truth of each of our sin nature to your own child.

Jack was becoming aware at that moment in the tub, that he wants to do the right things, but on his own he can't be good for long because inside he has a desire to do the wrong thing. My five year old son was grasping this concept, something that many well educated and even religious adults never grasp. We, being fallen human beings cannot be good on our own. We cannot live a sinless life. Sin makes us guilty.

I talked to Jack about how he felt when he did things he knew were naughty. I said when each of us disobey God in any way, it is called sin. Sin makes us feel guilty, or dirty in our heart, and after we sin we just want to feel clean and feel good again.
He agreed and told me that yes, his heart felt dirty when he was naughty. He said "Mom I want my heart to get cleaned up from the naughty things." I said, "You know what Jack? All by yourself you won't ever be able to clean your own heart. Even if you never do a naughty thing ever again. But do you know who CAN clean your heart up?"
Wide eyed, and now looking me in the eye, unlike earlier where he was looking down as he talked, he said "Mom! Who can clean it?"
" Jack, Jesus can clean your heart! Remember how we just learned at Easter about how Jesus died on the cross to save us? Well he now wants to come and move into your heart and get the scrub brushes out and clean your heart out and make it all brand new and clean. And once He moves in, He will never move out. And He will help you by reminding you to make good choices and not naughty ones."
"Wow Mom... really?" he said in wonderment.
"Yes, and after He moves in, you will still do bad things sometimes, but all you have to do is be sorry that you were naughty and ask Jesus to forgive you. Tell him about the bad thing you did, and how you know you shouldnt have done it. Ask him to wash that naughty thing out of your heart. And He will. And He will forget that you ever did it."

Jack was kind of in awe at this point, contemplating what I had just said. I asked him if He wanted to ask Jesus to move into his heart. He told me no, not yet. I said that was fine and he should think about it, and to ask me if he had anymore questions.


This afternoon we were all hanging out in the living room and suddenly Jack announces that he has some "good news" for me.
He said "Mom I am ready to ask Jesus in my heart. I need my heart cleaned up cause it has some bad stuff in it. I want Jesus to wash me up!"
I was taken aback as this wasnt what I was expecting, but rolled with it as he sat on the coffee table and folded his hands and started praying. I helped a bit towards the end to throw in a kid version of the sinners prayer.

It was awesome. After a few minutes I said, "Hey Jack, your a Christian now!" He was so excited. Then he tried to talk Jill into praying with him ( already an evangelist ha ha) but she was not having it.

Later this evening he told me he was so excited that Jesus was living in his heart, and that he washed his heart. He said "Mom, I feel so happy!"

I am so blessed to have this little boy as my son... what a gift to be there when he gave his little heart to Jesus and asked for forgiveness of his sins.

Despite raging allergies and a headache and the towers of laundry I did today, it was a great day because of this momentous occasion.