When I was eight I asked to be put back together.
One of my mother’s friends told us a bedtime story about a King and his princess. This princess was beautiful, whole and made to bring love and happiness to the King and others. The story used a rose to demonstrate this. But there was a monster who came along and wanted to destroy what the King had made. This monster pulled the petals off, threw them onto the floor and wanted to stamp them, burn them. But the King said NO. He placed the petals into a glass to protect them, to keep them safe until the special glue could put them back together (the Holy Spirit). Mother’s friend then asked us kids whether we wanted to be put back together, and that we only needed to pray a special prayer.
When I was getting into bed, I whispered in my mother’s ear – I wanted to be put back together.
My mother’s diary records that there was:
“No question as to whether she needed to be, she obviously just knew! Praise God!”
I went back out to where the other adults were. But little Jessie didn’t want others to pray for her… she wanted to pray and be involved, to read the words for herself. So she raced off to get instructions! (Apparently I came back with the notes from a healing seminar my parents had been to and followed along with that prayer).
My mother writes:
“I had no idea she knew it was in there! She just followed through while sitting on my lap.”
A story of petals to a salvation prayer.
The King put the princess back together, the broken parts of me dancing as they raced towards Jesus!
To God be the glory!
After this, on another night, I made my first commitment to Christ.
My mother records:
“At bedtime when we started to pray to the King, Jessie wanted to get something, came back with the Blessed CD cover and read out the following:
Dear Jesus, I need you…
I need your grace to forgive me and I need your love to change me.
Thank you for your amazing love…
Thank you for giving me life and eternity.
But above all thank you for dying on the Cross for me.
Now I am a Christian, which means You live in me…
I belong to You.
I will live my life for You.
I will love You forever.
Amen. “
** See the Blessed album (circa 2002), full of old favourites!
I want to share this beautiful blast from the past because there is SO MUCH VALUE in praying for, investing in, lovingly discipling and teaching young children about Jesus. I am so thankful to my parents for praying for me and sharing with me the good news of Jesus from a young age.
Oh the joy of growing up learning and loving the Lord!
At a friend’s twenty-first last year I had a lengthy conversation with his grandfather, listening as he told me about wars and meeting his wife… The one word of wisdom he wanted to reiterate to me again and again was:
“A family that prays together stays together”
I still remember it to this day because of how many times he repeated this phrase. Amen!
Have a read of Matthew 18 and Luke 18 if you get a chance. These are such rich passages of the gospel as Jesus refers to children when speaking of receiving the kingdom of God. In these contexts Jesus shares a valuable lesson in what it means to belong to this kingdom, His Father’s house. Those who are confident in their own righteousness do not go home justified; whoever exalts themselves will be humbled, and whoever humbles themselves will be exalted (L:9-14). The greatest in the kingdom of heaven are those who take the lowly position of a child, and those who welcome one such child in Jesus name welcomes Jesus! (M:1-5).
Oh to receive the Kingdom of God like a child!
To know without question that we are in need of a Saviour.
