My bottom lip quivers with emotion as my eyes squeeze back happy tears. Her dainty seven year old hands clench mine. With a high pitched, little girl voice she reverently prays to God. “I have decided to follow you Jesus,” she says firmly. She feels, hears, and sees God with innocent child-like faith. With tear stained faces and tightly squeezed hands, we conclude our prayer with “Amen.”
We remain seated at the kitchen table in pin-dropping silence. Then she hops off my lap, flashes her toothless 2nd grader smile, and skips up to bed. I think to myself, “Whatever view I had of you God—I know now you are even greater.”
I remember when I first believed…
The movement of the Holy Spirit jolted my soul awake. It felt as if the Spirit yanked my limbs into action as an unexplainable joy moved through me. But I also remember that somewhere along the way, I thought being saved went something like this: you prayer a prayer, ask Jesus into your heart, and you go to heaven…the end.
Salvation isn’t just about a one-time act or one emotional prayer. It’s about making a decision and following through with it.
There is a point in time when God opens our eyes to what Christ did. As we begin to follow, God opens our eyes to what Christ does.
“…Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose,” (Philippians 2:12-13, NIV).
This verse explains that after we accept Christ, we spend the rest of our lives following Him and “working out our salvation.”
God empowers us to work out our own salvation.
We are to discover our salvation for ourselves as we pursue a relationship with God. We are to work it out by reading God’s Word and coming up with our own ideas. Not ideas we hear in church but ideas God reveals to us as we read his Holy Word. Only then will salvation truly be our own.
As I turn out the lights in my kitchen, I reverently stand before God in my fuzzy brown slippers and mistletoe pajamas. I’ll never forget this night. My baby girl’s decision to actively pursue God will forever be etched across my heart.
Her personal love story with Jesus is just beginning….
Reflection for your day:
Are you following God with everything you’ve got? Are you realizing that there is more to following Jesus than just praying a prayer and walking down the church aisle? Are you digging deep into the Word and working out your own salvation?
Aww! So happy for you and so happy for your little girl. "There is a point in time when God opens our eyes to what Christ did. As we begin to follow, God opens our eyes to what Christ does." So very true.
ReplyDeleteAww congrats to your little girl and to you! There's some days we have to cling to God with all we've got but He's so faithful and will cling right back, I want to follow God with that child-like faith with all my heart. Thank you for this beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteThat is so wonderful! Praise God! Obviously you have been a Godly influence showing her a good Christian life. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis is great because this is what the family was design to do, we as parents are to bring up our children with the Word of God. Glory to God as He continues to move in your family and in your little girl. Thank you for sharing that testimony because it surely is one.
ReplyDeleteWhatever view I had of you, God, I now know you are even greater.
ReplyDeleteWOW.
I felt this way when my daughter decided to pray and ask Jesus to live in her heart. What an awesome moment!
"Are you following God with everything you’ve got?" Ok, God - I hear you. This has been the theme of my morning. I want my answer to that question to be a wholehearted "YES!"
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post and I'm so happy for you and your sweet daughter.
Kelli, this is truly a wonderful post! I've learned so much about God's Love and Faith through the eyes of my children as well.
ReplyDeleteYou also make a very powerful statement that I know many Christians don't realize : "God empowers us to work out our own salvation." This is so true! While we can absolutely gain perspective in church or through wonderful writing like yours, our relationship with God is very much an individual journey for each of us. We need to walk in Christ's example, but our path to salvation is very much our own.
Thank you, and have a Blessed Day!
How beautiful! What an awesome moment with your daughter to cherish forever. And what a wonderful reflection of you as a great mom bringing up her child with the Lord.
ReplyDeleteI love this: "There is a point in time when God opens our eyes to what Christ did. As we begin to follow, God opens our eyes to what Christ does." How perfect. Thank you so much for this post - it's beautiful!
Great questions. I have to say not nearly enough...
ReplyDeleteIt may be the security of salvation that first draws us in, but it's His love for us that keeps us coming back for more. Working out our salvation is all about perfect intimacy with Him. Praising Jesus for Savanna and her sweet faith in Him!
ReplyDeleteA treasure of a mom's heart! Amen! Thank you for the moment of reflection that you shared in your last paragraph :)
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