A Life Well-Lived, Part 11; Deeper Water

Back when the Allisons had a houseful of little kids, bedtime occurred in “stages.” First, they lined up for vitamins, then everyone got their teeth brushed. There were baths for the dirty ones, pull-ups for the young ones, then PJ’s and clean sheets for all. When they were finally in bed, I would circle back through and pray with each one, then maybe read a book or start their tape player. It took For.Ev.Er!

One night, as I went back through the bedrooms for the final goodnight, 3-year-old Timothy pointed to Caleb and quipped, “He prayed with me to become a Christian!” I listened as Caleb explained what they had prayed, and it lined up with the gospel (repent of your sins; believe that Jesus died on a cross, rose again, took your punishment; trust Him alone for your salvation…), so we celebrated Timothy’s decision. There was a great deal of Bible teaching in our home, so I didn’t doubt, to the extent of his 3-year-old understanding, Timothy’s decision to follow Jesus was real. But as he grew and his understanding deepened, he felt the need to make a renewed commitment at age 11, and wanted to be baptized at age 12.

I believe throughout our Christian journey, we are continually being called to a deeper level of dedication to the Lord. “Deep waters call out to what is deeper still” (Psalm 42:7). As we worked through Faith Journals, Bible conferences, and Life Purpose Planners, Timothy was always being challenged to make a deeper commitment of faith. Like bedtime, our sanctification occurs in “stages” and continues for a lifetime.

At age 17, Timothy signed his name to a prayer written by college-age Betty Stam (a missionary to China in the 1930s):

“Lord, I give up my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and I accept Thy will for my life. I give up myself, my life, my all, utterly to Thee, to be Thine forever. Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit. Use me as thou wilt, send me where Thou wilt, and work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost, now and forever.”

Betty Stam was martyred in China at age 28. When she wrote “thy will in my life at any cost…” she had no idea what the cost would be.

“Some of us might be more inclined to surrender, if God would hand us a contract with all the details filled in. We'd like to know what to expect. We want to see all the fine print so we can read it over, think about it, and then decide whether to sign our name on the dotted line. But that's not God's way. God says instead, "Here's a blank piece of paper. I want you to sign your name on the bottom line, hand it back to Me, and let Me fill in the details. Why? Because I am God; because I have bought you; because I am trustworthy…" (Copyright Revive Our Hearts. Written by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth. Used with permission. Reviveourhearts.com)

God didn’t ask 3-year-old Timothy to lay down his life and surrender all of his plans and dreams. He simply asked a little boy to open his heart to Jesus. And he said, “Yes.”

Saying “Yes” with childlike faith is the first step of a life-long journey of growing closer to Jesus; a journey where the end is just the beginning, and the adventure lasts For.Ev.Er.

Join us. Say yes.

“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” Mark 10:14

“Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Mark 8:34

"But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day." Proverbs 4:18

"Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18