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The Narrow Path

Monday, February 25, 2013

Zeke's Salvation Story - A Little Overdue...


Throughout his young life, I had been having a repeated conversations with Zeke about God, sin, salvation, Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, and how one can become a follower of Jesus.  We had many good conversations, if only brief, but he always said “I will accept Jesus later, when I am 5 or 6 or some time later.” 

Then on Tuesday, October 30th 2012 at 4 years and 11 months old, Zeke had was having a rough day and had pushed Selah, hit Caroline, and was generally causing trouble.  For this Zeke received consequences, one of which was being sent to his room.  While sitting in his room and evidently thinking about what he had done, a short time later he comes out to Julie and says “I prayed to Jesus to become a Christian.”  Julie answers “Right now, just now?”  Zeke says “Yes!”  When Julie asked Zeke how this happened, he said that while he was in trouble he decided he needed Jesus’ help to stop sinning and be a Christian.  Julie was a little startled at his abrupt decision, but was ecstatic for him and said that we will talk to Papa and let him know when he gets home.

Upon arriving home and hearing the news, I sat down with Ezekiel  and asked him the about his decision.  He said essentially the same thing:  he had gotten in trouble and while experiencing his consequences he decided he needed help to stop sinning and prayed to be a Christian.  I asked him how he became a Christian and he said “I prayed to believe in Jesus so that I wouldn’t sin anymore.”  When I asked him what Jesus had done to save him and help him he said, “He died on the cross for me and my sins.”  We then talked about how the Holy Spirit wants to: (1) give us the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, and (2) that he (Zeke) with the Holy Spirit’s help will spend the rest of his life learning to trust God to choosing not to sin.

On top of it all, it was on Great-Grandpa Harned’s 88th birthday which was a special treat for Great-Grandpa as he has worked, labored, and prayed so hard for his family, children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren all these years that we would love and follow Jesus with all of our hearts.  It was a great gift to give Grandpa a couple days later when we told him what Ezekiel had done.



A picture of Zeke from October 2012

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