This past Tuesday a friend of mine and I had the opportunity to meet with an eleven-year old named Analiese. She had a lot of questions about Jesus and baptism. We picked her up and took her to out to dinner and just let her ask anything she wanted. She could hardly eat as she spilled out one question after another. She wanted to know how we could know for sure we would go to heaven, what exactly it meant for Jesus to die on the cross, why he had to die on the cross, why did people get baptized, why did they seem happy afterwards.....and the questions kept coming. We were able to share the whole gospel with her, answering her questions one by one, and at the end of our time together she was trembling in anticipation of becoming a Christian. Her prayer to ask God for forgiveness and to take over her life was so sweet and so precious. The joy exuded from her and she could not smiling. Analiese could not wait to tell her mother that she became a Christian! She models the enthusiasm and joy that I need to have in my life (and for all believers!). She also cannot wait to make her profession of faith in Jesus Christ public and to be baptized as a testimony of her salvation.
The privilege of sharing the gospel with her was so humbling as well as refreshing. Her questions and her joy reminded me of how my attitude should always be--that of wonder and amazement at what Jesus Christ actually did for me on the cross.
Lord, don't ever let me forget the WONDER of the cross. Thank you for the privilege you have given me to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. Thank you for the reminder that Analiese gave me of the freshness and joy that comes from knowing You!
