She was a little girl, maybe 7 or 8 years old. I noticed her freckles first, as she walked across the Birmingham airport, waiting to board a plane to Orlando.
But when she turned fully around, I noticed much more.
Her face was grossly disfigured, and the freckles were large spots that covered most of her face.
Her shirt bore “Make-a-Wish Foundation.” Heading to Disney World, I presumed. She seemed excited, as any little girl would be.
But I wondered at all the pain she had already suffered in 7 or 8 years, and how much more lay ahead.
Now today, one week later at the Orlando airport, there is the same little girl on our returning flight. Now sporting a Mickey Mouse bag and a tired look.
She is talking with her parents.
To her mother, she asks, “Will you take me to church tomorrow?”
The mother gives an emphatic, “No!”
As all children do, she next turns to Dad, and asks, “But tomorrow is Easter... will you take me to church???”
Again, she receives a curt “No!”
And for all little girls denied the opportunity to marvel at the empty tomb.
(And for big girls and boys who choose not to.)
We all have disfigurements and heartaches, behind and ahead.
And we all need our hearts filled with hope and joy from seeing Resurrected Life standing outside an empty tomb.
To feel the earth tremble beneath our feet.
To feel the heat of brilliant light emanating from a supernatural source.
To feel belief.
I wish I could take this little girl to church with me.
And let her look fully at at the real Jesus.
And in time, outside of time, let him make all her wishes really come true.
John 20:14,16,18
* a repost
* * *
Have you stood at the empty tomb today?
11 comments:
That is so sad for the little girl. Hopefully someone will be put in her path of life to tell her about Jesus.
Have a blessed week and glorious Resurrection Day!
you have a beautiful heart Lisa...Hope your Easter is a good one. ☺
Wow, that's really a rather heartbreaking story! Did you just want to swoop her into your hands and take her to church with you? It's sad that church went from dominant to threat, completely skipping over the part where it would be a good thing.
Exactly, Katie. I felt pretty helpless. It made me wonder what bad experiences the parents had with the church in their own past to cause them to be so negative about it.
How sad that the parents would ignore a child's pleas to go to church -- and on Easter of all days. Maybe God put her in your line of sight, and ours, to pray for her. I can't help but believe that a heart that wants to know Him will eventually be led to Him. I pray that happens and that she won't assimilate her parents' negative attitudes.
This brings tear to my eyes. These parents need our prayers,along with my son and his wife. Our granddaughter spent the night last night so she could go to church with us,other wise we would not of been able to go.
God Bless,
Ginger
Barbara,
I like your take on this, that God might have put this girl in view specifically for our prayers. I believe with you that He will make Himself known to her with or without her parents. He had obviously already planted a seed in her.
Ginger,
I’m glad you were able to go to church with your granddaughter. Important, precious memories. I am praying right now for your son and his wife…
There are no coincidences in a Christian's life. He put a hurting child in front of a tender praying heart. It is our job to pray. Our prayer needs to be for her but also for those parents whose hearts need Jesus.
How sad. Lord, minister to that precious little girl.
This is so sad. Disneyland is great, but it's only for the here and now. Church is helping prepare for eternity. I wish you could have taken her to church too.
Blessings,
Charlotte
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