A CHANGED HEART

“Mom, other girls don’t have to!” moaned the 11 year old girl as she lay down on the frilly pink bedspread.

“Susan, it doesn’t matter what other girls do. They have plenty of brothers and sisters that are old enough to help their mother do things that have to be done,” explained the patient mother.

This wasn’t at all new in the Smith household. “Go now and do the dishes while I fix supper,” Susan’s mother said firmly.

Susan got up from the bed and walked furiously into the tiny kitchen. “Why do I have to do all the work around here?” she thought selfishly as she gave each dish a swift wipe with a wet dishrag.

That night Mrs. Smith knelt by the bed that used to hold her cherished husband who had gotten killed in an accident at work. She was left alone with three children. Susan, being the oldest, got stuck with a lot of work. As Mrs. Smith knelt reverently beside the bed she shed many tears as the load of the day caught up with her. “Dear Father, please help Susan to see that she needs you. Help her to want to know you. After the accident Susan was very bitter to God about her father’s death, the consequent was resentment when her mother needed her the most. Mrs. Smith stood up and sighed heavily as she crawled into her bed, still praying silently.

Meanwhile, Susan climbed into her bed and closed her eyes, but there was no peace in her soul.

The following morning the little family got dressed in their best clothes and went to the tiny church down the street. Susan sat coldly on the hard pew, until she heard these words, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Sure, she had heard those words many times, but now, something was real and living about them. “God gave His only Son so that I might l live forever? Surely it doesn’t mean me,” she thought sadly. Then she thought of the other part, “Whosoever believes on Him”. “It…It does mean me,” she thought excitedly. And then she thought of her sin. “What would he want with me?” Then she heard the preacher’s words again “He takes away the sin of the world”. Right then and there she bowed her head and said “God, I know I’ve been very bad to you and to my parents. Please forgive me and, like your Holy Word says, You ‘take away the sin of the world’. I will try, with your help, to live only for You. Amen” She opened her eyes. The Lord had changed her heart and everything appeared wonderfully new. Her mother, a suffering widow, needed her help. Her two brothers needed her love. She looked out the sunny windows. Every thing seemed to declare the glory and love of God.

As the congregation rose, she also rose happily with them singing the old hymn, “Take my life and let it be, always only all for Thee, always only all for Thee.” She knew she had a reason to sing, a reason to love… a reason to serve.