Dear Readers, when it comes to having a relationship with the Lord, I believe we can make it too hard at times. But several years ago the Lord used a miracle to teach me how He wants us to approach Him with child like faith, and I want to share it with you again …
One summer, several years ago, I was sitting in our backyard swing reading my Bible when our neighbors 7 year old girl came to sit beside me.
She asked me what I was doing and when I told her, she exclaimed, “I’ve got a Bible too! I’ll go get it and we can read together!!”
Well, before you know it, word got around and several neighborhood children were knocking on our door, and asking if I would read the Bible to them.
My husband thought it was amusing, but to be honest, I was terrified at first. LOL!
The Lord had me teaching adult Bible studies, but children? YIKES!!
Even though we had already raised our child by then, I had never felt like I was good with them. I love children, I just never felt as if I connected with them on their level very well.
At first, there were two or three coming about, but pretty soon groups of 6 or 7 children were regularly stopping by for me to read to them. Both boys and girls ranging from about 4-12 years old.
I made sure their parents were aware of it, and we always had our short studies outside.
The Holy Spirit was directing me to keep it simple. So I did. But at the end of each lesson I always told them, “Remember, no matter what, you can always call on Jesus!”
One day, I was teaching how God wants them to ask Him for help, and not just for the big things, but also for little needs, or wants. I told them that it gives Him great pleasure to be involved in our lives and to give us good gifts.
After the short lesson, they left to go play. Three or four of the little girls ran into the neighbors back yard to retrieve a kickball.
But there was a problem.
We had received a heavy rain recently, and a large area of water had pooled at the back of the yard, and the ball had floated to the very corner of a wooden privacy fence. (The wooden fence ran down along one side, and all the way across the back. There was a hurricane fence that separated our yard from theirs so I could see what was taking place.)
I could tell the girls were discussing how to get the ball without wading through the water which was inches deep in places.
Without a thought I hollered out to them.
“Girls, now what were we just talking about? Ask Father God to help you. ?”
I saw them bow their heads and make their request.
Now, this next part might be hard for some of you to believe, but it happened just like I’m going to tell it.
Suddenly, without a breeze in the air, the ball began to move down the fence line about 12 feet where it stopped, changed direction, and then began floating on the water toward the girls another 10-12 feet, where it stopped.
The children just stood there, staring at the ball, now stationed about 6″ away.
I hollered across the yard again, “Okay, Father God brought it to you, now step forward and pick it up.”
One of them reached out, snagged the ball and they started to race off giggling and laughing.
Once again I yelled, “Stop!! They came to a halt.
“Now thank Him for bringing you the ball.”
In unison their sweet little voices rang out, “Thank you Father God!”
Then they joyfully ran off to play.
I turned to go into our house, tears started streaming down my face as I thought, “You ARE a good, good, Father.”
When I entered the house my hubby was staring out the back window.
Wiping the tears away I exclaimed, “Did you SEE that?”
Slowly, he turned to me with a bewildered, almost frightened look on his face, “Yep!!”
I asked him, “So, what do you think?”
To which he replied, “I don’t know WHAT to think!” Lol!
You know, I once heard someone make this statement, “All children believe in miracles, that is until an adult comes along and tells them not to.”
Sad, but true.
Well, over the years, the children grew up, several moved away.
And then recently, after 28 years, we also moved off of that quiet little cul-de-sac.
But I hope, and pray, that they will never forget the heart of all of those messages long ago.
“You can always call on Jesus!”
“Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.
But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them: for such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt: 19:13-14 NKJV
“Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 18:2-4 NKJV
PS. When I was 6 years old, my Sunday school teacher planted the seed of that same message. Flash forward, 27 years later, when I would get down on my knees one night in my living room, and Holy Spirit reminded me of these words, “Brenda, remember, you can always call on Jesus.” So I did, with all of my heart, and He responded. That was the night of my re-birth in Christ Jesus. The rest is His-story.
Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com
