A Happy Day In Heaven

When I was a very small child, I remember this as clear as day, I asked Jesus to come into my heart.  I don't remember how old I was, probably like 4 or 5, but I do remember that as much as a young child was capable of having a relationship, I had one with Jesus.  I would lie in bed and talk to him.  I have no idea about what.  But I knew he was listening.  I knew he heard me.  I knew he was real.  

I'm not sure if it was a week or a month or a year later, but I remember very apologetically explaining to Jesus that I had to invite him out of my heart.  You see, I realized that when you ask Jesus into your heart, you walk down the isle in church and tell the preacher.  That terrified me. There was no way I was doing that.  So, with the only logic I had, he couldn't stay in my heart.

Of course he never left.  I imagine now how endearing those conversations must have been to Him.  

Anyway, thus the question, how young is too young to truly understand the enormity of what Christ did for us on the cross?  

I have wondered as much in regards to Amelia.  There have been times I could have easily led her through the process by the interest she showed herself.  She knows who Jesus is, that he died on the cross to forgive her sins.  But I have always been unsure if she understood sin and the need that we have for Jesus because of our sin.  So I have answered her questions and talked about it when situations arose.  But I've kind of avoided the actual "asking Jesus into my heart" thing.  

Tonight she was so straight forward with her questions and determination that there was no question that this would be the night.  We were talking about a little boy in Lane's class who announces that, "Jesus lives in his heart".  Amelia asked if He lived in hers.  The conversation went something like this:

-He can if you ask Him.

-Well I want to ask Him.  Jesus please come into my heart.

-There's more to it than that, Amelia.  You have to understand what it means.  Do you want to hear more about what it means? 

(Of course, she's heard this many times before.  But this time, after the craziest, most chaotic day, where I couldn't even get the kids to sit still in their dinner chair, Amelia and Lane both said yes, with wide eyes.  Stillness fell over the dinner table.  And here is the real miracle, Owen got quiet.  That doesn't happen, well ever. )

Then a simple version followed of God being a perfect and holy God who hates sin.  So he had to make a way for us to be with Him, because we are so sinful.  So he sent us Jesus, who took our sin away and forgave us so that in God's sight we could be sinless and live with him forever in heaven one day.  I think I did a better job than that in real life.

-Well I want to ask him.  What exactly do I say?

I told her.

-Well, mom, I really want to do it but can you say it and I'll repeat after you because I want to do it right.  

After the prayer she opened her eyes with the biggest smile on her face. 

It's funny how huge things can happen in the every day happenings.  I mean, Amelia made the simple most important decision that she will ever make in her life, at my dinner table tonight.  

I know it is a happy day in heaven as the angles rejoice in a new believer!