Not Even One Stanza of Just As I Am

Tonight at bedtime, Max started singing a song about God. He was making up the words as he went along, which is totally commonplace, but it seemed like he was putting more thought than usual behind his lyrics. They had to do with something about thanking God for making the world and wondering if he could go to heaven. He kept repeating the request to go to heaven and there I was listening to him, struck with the notion that maybe I should ask him about why he was singing that.

Our conversation took a rather sudden turn towards the serious for a minute, something not so commonplace when it comes to Max. I felt this tug on my heart to ask him if he wanted to know for sure if he would go to heaven. Then I asked him if he wanted to ask Jesus to come into his heart and he emphatically said yes.

Now, this is something that we don’t take lightly. I was suddenly nervous. I could sense the wheels in Max’s mind started to race and he grew very excited and I just sat there, kind of wide-eyed, wondering if this was for real or not. He went downstairs to get Daddy and asked him to come upstairs and pray with him. Mike sat on his bed and asked him a whole bunch of questions, to make sure that he understood God’s plan for salvation (he’s a sinner, in need of a savior, Christ loved us so much that he died and rose from the dead, and if he confesses his sins, then Christ will forgive him and live in his heart forever, starting today and for eternity in heaven).

My heart was pumping when Max was answering these questions. He knew the lingo, no question about it. I don’t know for sure if he really understands what this decision means (as I didn’t when I was a child) but man, I saw child-like faith right there before my eyes. He simply said to his Dad, “I want Jesus to come into my heart because I love him”. Then Mike asked him to pray whatever he wanted. I’m not lying when I say that he prayed one of longest prayers I have ever heard. Great excitement was building in his voice and finally he said “Come! Into! My! Heart!”

So, there you go. Not really what I pictured, but definitely, without a doubt, Max’s own way with words.

I spent a few extra minutes with Max and rummaged through his Sunday School trinkets basket looking for a gospel bracelet to show him. I’m sure he was excited that bedtime was delayed for this (if jumping up and down on the bed is any indication). I tried to calm him down a bit with my super mom whisper then proceeded to ask him to tell me what each bead meant. Afterall, there was no emotional altar call here. I was clearly out of my Southern Baptist comfort zone. But you know something? He literally stopped in his tracks to tell me about the beads. It was apparent to me that he truly understood what he just did tonight.

On my way downstairs, with a smile, I remembered something. Dates are so significant with me for some reason and this sort of realization just makes me well up inside. On September 17, 2003, Max took his first steps and started walking. Tonight, four years later, he took his first steps as a believer in Christ.

It’s my prayer that he will walk mile after mile following Him just because of the simple fact that “he loves him”.

Because He first loved Max.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Eph 1:7-8

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” Matthew 19:14

Edited to add one more thing: On September 17, 2002, we took our first steps out of the hospital with him in our arms, the day that his birth mother lovingly asked us to become his parents.