Thursday, September 9, 2010

How do I get to Heaven mommy?

So, for a 5 1/2 year old, Jayce has always been very intrigued with and in tune to the things of God. We have always talked about God together but only in the past few weeks has he really begun to ask me questions specifically about Heaven and how he can go.
The first conversation started after he was at church and we have this Christian Magician Mark who goes to our church and is kind of famous with the kids around town for doing bday parties and stuff... well, he had visited them on Sunday and did a trick with a deck of cards where he held out the King and kept getting rid of all the others (this is how Jayce explained it at least) and then he asked "Who is the King?" Jayce said the King was Jesus and that all the other Kings are false gods. He went on to say that all the people who believe in these false gods are not going to Heaven but to hell. Sounds harsh, but I confirmed that yes this is true. Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven (I am THE way, THE truth and THE light, no man cometh to the Father but through me...John 14:6)
Over the course of a few days, Jayce went on to ask me repeatedly if he was going to Heaven and about numerous other friends and family members and their status. I explained to him that God would cover with his grace any child who was not of age to understand how to make a choice about Jesus Christ. As for all the others, I said that only God really knew their hearts. I said of course that I hope so, and yes they will if they are saved.
He asked me what it means to be saved and how he could know for sure he was going? I explained to him that first he needs to realize that he is a sinner and did he know what that meant (for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God...Romans 3:23). He said "Yes, like when I do bad stuff....mommy, do you sin? does daddy?" "Yes, Jayce, we both sin, everyone does... Jesus is the only person who never sinned." I went on to explain that because we are so sinful, we deserve to go to hell. But the good thing is that when choose to be saved, we do not have to pay for our sin by spending an eternity in hell, but we our sins were payed for by Jesus' death on the cross, his blood covers our sins (But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us...Romans 5:8). When we are saved, we get to spend eternity with Jesus Christ in Heaven. I explained that once we tell God we are sorry for our sins (That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved...Romans 10:9) and we want him to be our Savior, and come into our hearts and stay there that He will (For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved...Romans 10:13). And THEN, we can know for sure that we can go to Heaven. "Well mommy, so we don't deserve to go to Heaven?" "No baby, we don't, we deserve to go to Hell because our sins separate us from God but we can go to Heaven because of His sacrifice on the cross for us." "Well mommy, so Heaven is like a gift God gives us?" "Yes, I think you got it, it is a gift!" (...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ out Lord...Romans 6:23)

"Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I do wrong things. I am sorry for my sin. I want to accept the gift you gave us by dying on the cross for my sins. I want you to come into my heart and I want to give my life to you." So mommy, (BIG SMILE)... "Jesus is in my heart now?" Yes baby, HUGE SMILE, Jesus is in your heart! "Well mommy, can Jesus be lots of places at once? Like in Heaven, and in my heart, and around the whole world?" "Yes, only Jesus can be all those places."

Now THIS is a moment I had to record asap so as never to forget all the precious details! THIS as I told Jayce, is what I've prayed for since he was a tiny tiny baby... as he said "even when I was as small as a worm?" Yes, even then!

Some may say Jayce is too young to truly understand this. I do not believe so. I know that for now, he may not be the most mature Christian in the world, but the seeds are planted and his Christian journey has begun. It is my hope and prayer that the seeds planted in his heart will remain throughout life no matter where he goes. I pray they will not only remain, but grow and grow into a life that shows his love for Jesus ("Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.")

2 comments:

lauren said...

Congrats to Jayce! That is so exciting and very heart warming. Thanks for sharing! You did a fabulous job explaining it to him!

Unknown said...

Well done, Christyn! I'm so happy to hear that Jayce knows and understands the importance of having Jesus in his heart. I can't wait to have these same conversations with Emma. I may have to refer back to this post because you did an excellent job explaining this. Love to you all - Michelle