we're driving to the library this morning and joshua asks me this question. i about crashed the car. i really wish, at moments like this, that i could be in their little brains. i mean, we spent our morning eating breakfast, dropping rebekah off at school, going to the gym so i could swim, went to walmart and Sam's to do our grocery shopping, came back home to drop the groceries off and then were on our way to the library. WHAT about any of that made him think about heaven?? i'd LOVE to know!
anyways, back to the conversation. so, i start answering him. using all my self-control (which i somehow found in this conversation and haven't been able to find it all week with those brownies around!) i don't ask HIM questions...trying not to "lead" the conversation. i really want to see where his heart and mind are.
"mom, how do we get to heaven?"
i go on about how we get to heaven when we die...if we believe in Jesus and that He died on the cross for our sins. if we believe in the Bible and all that it says. if we Love God with all our hearts.
"so, does everyone get to go to heaven?"
umm...this is a hard one. but, i have to tell him the truth. No.
"where do people go that don't believe in Jesus?"
umm...this is getting harder by the question. yikes! so, i explain hell - the best i can so that he understands enough to not want to go there...
"can we call on God to come get us if we go to Hell?"
is he 3 years old or 30? i explain that it's too late at the point. we have to "decide" before we die.
it's quiet for about 30 seconds. i'm nervous about what's next.
"I believe in God."
just like that. he says it. i burst into silent tears. my heart feels like it's going to explode out of my body. i've been praying for this since i found out this little being was inside of me. he is only 3. and he can only understand with the understanding of a 3 year old. but i'm so thankful for this. mostly because Joshua is SO hard to read and SO hard to figure out. Pat and i have been talking and praying so much the last couple weeks about how to get in his head. so, this is also an answer to prayer for that.
when we stopped at the library, i pulled him in my lap and talked to him. i prayed for him out loud. he called Pat at work and told him. this is a big deal. we make a big deal out of the "disrespectful" things they do. we also need to make a big deal out of the "good decisions" they make. there will be celebrating tonight. there's already been celebrating in heaven! (Luke 15:10)
i pray that joshua continues to ask questions and seek after God and His ways.
4 comments:
Awesome!! Enjoy the celebration tonight! Thanks for sharing it! :) Was at Sams too this morning but no meaningful conversations like this...just lots of questions as to whether Paige has to go to the bathroom or not since we just potty trained her last weekend! enjoy every moment with your sweet, adorable, innocent children! :)
Kim
Wonderful!...that is truly awesome...tough questions and tough answers not only for a three year old but for a 30 year old that doesn't yet know about salvation and the only way to heaven. He is a thinker so you know that he is marinating all these thoughts in his head. What a great great testimony he will have.
praise the lord!!! :)
Write it down!!! What is it about the car with these kids? Jacob and Josiah were both in the car when they asked these same questions (except they never asked the one about will God come get us from hell!) It was really hard with Jacob - alot of the same feelings of wanting to make sure they were leading it instead of me. But all of his little 3 year old heart wants to love Jesus - and that's all that they need!!! Congratulations Joshua - welcome to the family! :)
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