In the 1970's my husband worked three Sundays a month hauling bulk milk for the family business. I had taken our boys to Sunday school and church. At the time Greg, our older son, was three years old. I taught a class of kindergartners and read them a Bible story with visuals of Bible characters on flannelgraph every Sunday. Yet I had not discovered the Jesus for which a spark had been lit in my spirit early in my life.
Later we began to attend a different church, the United Church of Christ in Mausdale. I had attended the adult Sunday school class. Our sons attended each his own Sunday school class. My teacher was Hilda Kashner. One day during the lesson Hilda said, gesturing with her hand, that Jesus could live in one's heart. It clicked! I knew in that moment that this was the key for which I had searched all my growing up years and to that time in my life.
When I was about eight years old I asked, "Mom, how do you get to heaven?" Mom said, "Well if you're good you will go to heaven." However, I was not satisfied with that instruction. While I wasn't really bad, I knew that I wasn't always good.
The Bible tells us: "For all have sinned and fall short of God's expectations." Romans 3:23
Until that day in Hilda's Sunday school class I had never heard that Jesus could live in my heart. The Bible says that "To all who receive Him (Christ)...He gave the right to become children of God." John 3:23.
My sons also invited Jesus into their hearts as I led them in prayer at the "tuckin' in time." Now their bedtime prayers changed from "Now I lay me down to sleep..." to more personal prayers.
At last I had found the way and made a decision for which every human being ever born must face. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Follow up after the surgery proved that the tumor was encapsulated and had not spread. Thus, the removal ended the malignancy.
I believe that God had allowed this traumatic time in my life, and even those past, to bring me to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
It is said that our lives are like a tapestry. If you look at the embroidered piece from the back side you will find nothing but tangles and knots. But when you turn it over you find a beautiful tapestry.
The Tapestry
My life is but a weaving,
between my Lord and me;
I cannot choose the colors,
He worketh steadily.
Oft times he weaveth sorrow,
and I, in foolish pride,
Forget he sees the upper
and I the underside.
Not ‘til the loom is silent
and the shuttles cease to fly,
Shall God unroll the canvas
and explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful
in the Weaver's skillful hands,
as the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.
Jesus wants to take the tangles and knots of your life, too, and turn them into a beautiful tapestry.
The Bible says that the wages of sin is death, eternal separation from God. But God has a gift for us. He tells us: "The wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
My prayer that day in Hilda's Sunday school class went something like this: "Thank you, Jesus, for letting me see the key that unlocked the door to my heart. I know I've made many mistakes. I know my sin stands between you and me. But I ask you now to forgive my sins and I invite you to come into my heart. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. Help me to live for you."
He is waiting at your heart's door, knocking and waiting for you to let Him in. May today's date be the day of your salvation.
