Devotional NOT JUST A CHRISTIAN

 “Children don’t really understand what they’re doing.”

  When I was 7, at a missionary childrens' Bible Club, after listening to the stories about needing to be not just a Christian but a strong soldier for God, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I didn’t know the big adult words like dedication, consecration, sanctification; but everything necessary, God Himself made sure were present in my heart then. In my child’s mind, I gave myself to God, and He could have my life, not just as a Christian, but as whatever soldier He wanted me to be the rest of my life.

  Maybe much of what was being taught was beyond the reach of my cognitive comprehension. But I knew enough to know I was not staying behind after the meeting just to make Mrs. Styles (the missionary mother heading the children’s meetings) feel good. And I was too shy to pray out loud. I let a few others do it—who were　from Christian homes who’d done family devotions for generations and were used to praying in front of others. But I knew in my heart what I meant. I told God simply I wanted to be, not just a Christian, but a soldier for Him. Please help me do so.

  When our family went Stateside for furlough the following year, I remember my first reaction in finding out my sisters and I would be attending a public school. “You mean the other students won’t all be Christians, like at Okinawa Christian School (the one we’d been attending on the field, for missionary kids)?” I was elated. “You mean, we’ll get to witness—finally? I can’t do that at OCS when everyone else claims to be saved too!”

  And during recess, God gave me the wonderful experience of leading a friend to salvation in Jesus Christ. To this day, I don’t know how we talked. The only thing I remember before that was that Bonnie was a friend distressed about her parents getting a divorce—but we bowed our heads and prayed out there on that playground—and she got saved that day.

  The next Sunday, my heart was so full of joy, I remember I put in my first dollar bill in the offering plate. After worship service, an elderly woman I’d never met before came to me and shook my hand, saying, “God bless you honey.” When she went away, I looked down at my hand. In it she had squeezed a gift of paper currency, to me my first little note of love from a Heavenly Father.

  Children may not be able to understand complicated things. But many have a secret, simple link with God adults do not know.