Saved, not inoculated.

Sunday night was very special in our house.

Emma, in her own words, "asked Jesus to be her Savior from her sins!"

Now, I have spent a lot of time thinking about whether to post about this event or not.  All things blogged are for posterity, right?  My children have LONG and very detailed baby books.  HA!

No, the reason I wasn't sure about writing on this subject is because I have such strong feelings about it.  We have been very careful to not lead Emma in some pretty little prayer...so she'll feel inoculated with salvation from her sins.  As if this was how it happened at all.  We wanted this to be something that she was prompted to do by the Holy Spirit...not something to just please us or escape the fears of hell and death. 

That's easier said than done...when you have a beautiful, little firstborn so eager to please....and all of ETERNITY is on the line.  But that's the point...I could have gotten her to say the WORDS months ago...but what she did Sunday night was her own personal decision....because God was at work in her heart and mind.

As I tucked her in I sang one of the favorites in our house..."Change my heart oh God..."  As I sang she was feeling for her heartbeat.  She couldn't feel it so I helped her.  As she felt her heart beat she said, "What about Caleb's heart...is it beating?"  I told her that if your heart stops beating you die.  I told her that's why the words of the song talk about changing your heart to be like God...because all of our hearts are sinful.

She pondered this a bit...and tearfully said, "I don't want to die with sins in my heart!"  NOW...here's the point where I could have just said, "Well, pray this prayer dearie and you've received your salvation shot...don't ever worry about it again."...but I didn't...As Jesus so often did, I asked another question..."What do you know about that sin in your heart?  Who could do something about it?"

She said, "If I pray and tell Jesus I'm sorry for my sins...he'll wash my sins away."  I asked if she had ever done that before...and she said no.  I told her that she could pray at any time and he would save her.  She said she wanted to pray right then...

Yes, she is still a very small girl.  The days ahead will show the fruit of this decision.  This is just the starting point.  As she grows and matures...I'm praying her understanding of what it means to be saved will grow too...but for now we are rejoicing with the angels!

Luke 15:10, "there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”