A Child's Salvation

With Madison being a big 7 year old now, I have been much more purposeful in my approach with her on the subject of Christ. We have been reading a lot from Romans and Matthew about how to become a Christian and what is expected of you once you do accept Christ as your Savior.

My heart nearly skipped a beat the other night when Madison came to me and said,

"Mommy, I prayed tonight that Jesus would come live in my heart."

I just smiled and hugged her. I thanked God for the awesome gift of faith he bestowed upon children. Since that night, we have been talking a lot about what being a Christian looks like in the life of a Christian child. From how she should treat her brother to how she should act at school, our conversations have been meaningful and exciting. The hardest lesson to learn, at any age, is the one concerning loving those that you may not feel deserve it. She questions this often and I simply try to explain to her that Jesus loves us, no matter how much we sin. Being a Christian basically means living like Christ and following him, so we must love as he loves to the best of our human abilities.

It is amazing to see Madison already beginning her walk with Christ. Knowing the freedom she can have in her life now, thanks to accepting the gift of salvation that is readily available to us all, gives me such peace.

We are having a big shindig at Journey to celebrate baptisms and to kick-off our small groups on September 7, at 5:00pm. (anyone is welcome to attend! Food and fun for all!) I am talking to Madison about whether or not she wants to be baptised or not. She seems unsure still about what exactly baptism is and what the purpose is. Unless she grasps the concept better before then, she will be waiting a while longer to make that choice.

Considering both she and Carter were "baptised" in the Presbyterian church as infants is confusing to her. Though I loved the beautiful ceremony surrounding infant baptism, to me it was merely a dedication to the Lord. Baptism, in reality, comes after salvation and is a choice for each to make and is a sign of repentance. One example the Bible gives stating such is Matthew 3:6.

"Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River." (Him being John the Baptist.)

As my children grow, I feel more and more pressure to provide an outstanding Christian role-model for them. I wonder if I'm cut out to lead them to Christ. I pray that God guides me and allows me to tell them what they need to hear.