When my mom passed away in July of 2011, I had the responsibility of explaining to my 2-year-old son where his beloved Grammy went. I decided to keep it honest and simple.
"Grammy doesn't live with Baba Jack anymore. She went to live in heaven with Jesus. She can't come visit us or play anymore. She's busy working with Jesus now and we won't see her for a while. But she loves us and Jesus loves us. And someday we will see her again."
After a double checking that Grammy wasn't at church, Jesus' house, Ben seemed satisfied with the explanation and didn't ask to see or talk to Grammy for almost three months.
We were sending out invitations for his third birthday and I asked him who he wanted to invite. The first two people on his list, "Grammy Jesus." After that, he asked to see Grammy every single day for three weeks or more.
When he asked, I always told him that he needed to pray to God the Father and ask if Grammy could visit him. Then we'd pray together:
Dear God in Heaven,
We love you and praise you. Father, Ben misses his Grammy. Could she please visit him. We love you.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
One Sunday morning, God answered Ben's prayer. As we walked into the sanctuary at Grain Valley, Ben pointed to the back wall and said, "Look Mama! Grammy Jesus!" He pointed to the same spot three more times, each time excitedly saying, "Look, Grammy Jesus!"
I wasn't privileged to see our heavenly visitors, but I know they were there. That was the first Sunday Ben "sat" through an entire service. (A miracle in itself.)
God is so generous. He answered my little boy's prayer to see his Grammy and gave him the added testimony of seeing Jesus too. Although Ben won't remember this experience into adulthood, what a beautiful blessing.
And what a blessing for our entire congregation to have Jesus come and worship with us on a Sunday morning. God is such a loving and generous father. Glory to God!
Psalm 150
1) Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in the firmament of his power.
2) Praise him for his mighty acts; priase him according to his excellent greatness.
3) Praise him with the sound of the trumpet; praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4)Praise him with the timbrel and dance; praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5) Praise him upon the loud cymbals; praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals.
6) Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord
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