Because of His Great Love

Two years ago today, the week after Bible school, this story…

“Y’all go outside and play!”

Who knew those words would get these two sisters together for a backyard, swing-set salvation!

This goes to show that you never know what the Lord has in store. Right smack dab in the middle of pre-supper craziness a child is led to the Lord by an older sibling. As a Mama, you can wipe snoggy noses, do laundry, clean up the fake spanish moss pulled out from the fake tree – and still experience salvation first hand.

I was quite stunned when they came inside and told me what they’d been talking about. Yet they both wore the same glow on their upturned faces. And I knew the younger one’s heart was tender. She’s asked questions lately and has a fresh foundation from Boomerang Express choir and a week of Vacation Bible School. We sat down and talked through it all again, prayed, hugged, cried, danced and called her Daddy.

Wanting to capture this special day, we took the above picture. Right there. In the backyard on the falling apart family swing. Wearing flip flops and huge grins.

She called grandparents to share her good news. Then she quite urgently dictated this email for me to send out to family and friends:

Mama is typing what I am saying:

“Hello family and friends,

This is very exciting news!!! that I BECAME A CHRISTIAN TODAY!! YEAH! Last week at Bible school I learned a lot. This afternoon Luci helped me become a Christian. We were outside on the swing. I asked her all kinds of questions and she didn’t know the answers to some. I’m looking forward to getting baptized and joining the church!!

Our answered prayer for our beloved child. As her grandparents said, “Now you are always going to belong to Jesus!”

After supper the eldest reminded us of our Cold Stone Creamery gift cards. So we loaded up and had a celebratory scoop. All I could think of, even as the youngest girl dripped blue, cotton candy ice cream down her arm, was…

“there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.” Luke 15:10

As we drove home, the lightning bugs danced in the shadows of that tree-lined road. And the Bible school song Believe played. It’s my child’s theme song. And I pray it will be the theme song of a whole bunch of new believers. So those angels will just keep on rejoicing.

Because He gave His life because he bled and died because he rose again I come.

And I admit to God I am a sinner and I repent and turn away from all my sin. I believe that Jesus is the son of God and that he came into the world to save us all. I confess my faith in Jesus as my Savior and my Lord and I do this because of His great love.

Because He loves me so. Because He makes me whole. Because He is my friend, I come.

For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.

So will you admit to God that you are a sinner? Will you repent and turn away from all your sin? Will you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He came into the world to save us all? Will you confess your faith in Jesus as your Savior and your Lord?

Will you do this? Will you do this? Will you do this? Because of His great love? – Jeff Slaughter, Lifeway VBS

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