How Does Jesus Come Into Your Heart Without Making a Hole?
Introduction: We may never know with certainty if, or when, another person has truly believed in God and has become a Christian by grace through faith. The Lord knows when there is an authentic conversion in the heart for each person who receives new life in Christ.
NOTE: Bible passages are from the American King James Version.
Mark 10 “13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said to them, Suffer the little children to come to me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Truly I say to you, Whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.”
The Question
Our son Tom is about three years older than his brother Shaun. Carolyn began reading to Tom very early, and read to him daily with our own books and many library books. At mealtimes and bedtime we always prayed with little Tommy. Gradually the evening routine developed into reading on our bed together, and then Dad would take Tommy into his own room and pray before tuck-in time and the goodnight hug. Tommy had heard many times from us, and from Sunday school, about the need to ask Jesus our Savior into our heart. One night after bedtime prayer Tommy told Daddy he wanted to ask Jesus into his heart, so we prayed together. When we were done, I told Tommy Jesus had come in and would never leave him.
Carolyn and I were very pleased that our son Tom at this early age had said he wanted Jesus to enter his heart, and that I had been able to pray with him. A little time passed before the question came. Just before he was ready to go to sleep one night, Tommy asked Dad, “How does Jesus come in without making a hole?” Well, how does a father impart spiritual truth to a child’s reasoning? I explained, probably in very vague terms, hugged him and left the room, feeling I had not really reached his understanding.
The Answer
A few days later, I went into Tommy’s room to wake him in the morning. I still had enough eyesight at that time that I wore glasses and used low vision aids. As I woke Tommy, I noticed bright sunlight streaming across his bed. I said to him, look at the sunlight on your bed: it came through that window and did not make a hole! He probably thought this was a strange thing for Daddy to say. I went on to tell him that God is a Spirit and can do many things that we cannot do. He comes into us without making a hole, like the sunlight comes through the window without making a hole. For further emphasis, I knocked on the window and said I can’t go through the window unless I break it or make a hole. And even the wind that we cannot see, cannot come through unless there is a hole.
How many times do we as adults doubt God’s word because we reason within the realm of the creation, rather than accepting the realm of an unlimited, all-powerful, everywhere-present, all-knowing, eternal, merciful, and loving Creator God?
Matthew 18 “1 At the same time came the disciples to Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child to him, and set him in the middle of them, 3 And said, Truly I say to you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever shall receive one such little child in my name receives me.”
1 Corinthians 1 “20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”
1 Corinthians 2 “14 But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
Isaiah 25 “1 O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things; your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” Amen, and amen.
Daddy was pretty big compared with little Tommy, but just how much bigger is our heavenly Father than we finite creatures? We must always humbly remember that we have a childlike dependence on our eternal heavenly Father.
Revised 14 August 2019 — first published on MPNHome.net 27 February 2006