instead he greeted her with open arms. Then the girl who played the role of the runaway explained how God was like that—always ready and waiting to invite his children back. She shared about how her own life had been a mess, but then God had straightened it out.
Morgan glanced at Emily, wondering if she was taking all this in. It seemed like, more than anything, Emily could use a heavenly Father right now. Would she be ready toinvite him into her heart someday?
Finally the group sang their last song, and the blond guy began to speak into the microphone in a quiet voice. “Maybe you’ve known Jesus for your whole life, or maybe you’re just meeting him for the first time today. It doesn’t really matter. We’re all his kids, and he’s just waiting for each one of us to come to him and place our hearts in his hands.”
Morgan glanced at Emily again, and she could tell that Emily was feeling nervous. Was it because God was knocking on the door of her heart? Or because she was in a strange church? Whatever it was, Morgan decided it was time to pray. She bowed her head and asked God to show Emily how much he loved her. God could do that. Morgan knew it.
“And it doesn’t matter what condition our hearts are in,” continued the man. “They can be heavy, or broken, or even full of all kinds of gunk. Jesus doesn’t care. Because he can fix them. He can clean out the gunk, and he can make them better than new. And do you know why? Because he loves us. Because he wants to live in our hearts. All we need to do is just invite him in. If you want to invite him in again, or even for the first time, go ahead and stand up right where you are. Go ahead. He is waiting for you.”
Without looking to the left or right, Morgan stood up. She knew she was doing it as much for Emily as forherself. But she meant it just the same. She had no problem inviting Jesus into her heart again and again and again. She knew that he was there all the time anyway. Nothing wrong with saying, “Make yourself comfortable, Jesus.” Now, if only Emily would do the same.
Just then, Morgan felt a brush of movement next to her and from the corner of her eye, she could see that Emily had shifted in her seat. Morgan shut her eyes tight. She knew that this was Emily’s decision. So she just stood there with her head bowed, praying for Emily and echoing the words to the prayer that the man in front was leading.
Then the prayer was done and Morgan could see that Emily was still seated. She sat down next to her and felt a wave of disappointment. It seemed that Emily, more than anyone Morgan knew, needed God in her life right now. Why hadn’t she stood up?
After the service, without even waiting for Morgan, Emily stood up and left. Worried that something was wrong, Morgan followed and they ended up in the women’s restroom.
“Are you okay?” Morgan asked Emily.
Emily nodded. But Morgan could see tears in Emily’s eyes.
“What’s wrong?” asked Morgan, seriously concerned for her new friend.
“I think I just invited Jesus into my heart,” Emily whispered.
Morgan’s eyes grew wide. “Really?”
Emily nodded again.
“But you didn’t stand.”
“I know.” Emily frowned. “Does that mean it’s not real?”
“No, of course it’s real,” said Morgan. “If you prayed, it’s real.”
“Oh, good.” Then Emily really did begin to cry. But, unlike yesterday’s tears, these looked like happy tears. Joyful tears! “It sure does feel like it’s real,” she said to Morgan.
“I’m so excited for you!” Morgan hugged her. “It’ll be so great to have a best friend who’s a Christian too! This is fantabulous!” She looked at Emily’s tearstained face. Did Emily fully understand what she’d just done? Had she really meant it? “You’re sure about this, aren’t you? I mean, you really did
want
to invite Jesus into your heart, right?”
Emily sucked in her breath with a creased brow, as if she was really considering
Morgan glanced at Emily, wondering if she was taking all this in. It seemed like, more than anything, Emily could use a heavenly Father right now. Would she be ready toinvite him into her heart someday?
Finally the group sang their last song, and the blond guy began to speak into the microphone in a quiet voice. “Maybe you’ve known Jesus for your whole life, or maybe you’re just meeting him for the first time today. It doesn’t really matter. We’re all his kids, and he’s just waiting for each one of us to come to him and place our hearts in his hands.”
Morgan glanced at Emily again, and she could tell that Emily was feeling nervous. Was it because God was knocking on the door of her heart? Or because she was in a strange church? Whatever it was, Morgan decided it was time to pray. She bowed her head and asked God to show Emily how much he loved her. God could do that. Morgan knew it.
“And it doesn’t matter what condition our hearts are in,” continued the man. “They can be heavy, or broken, or even full of all kinds of gunk. Jesus doesn’t care. Because he can fix them. He can clean out the gunk, and he can make them better than new. And do you know why? Because he loves us. Because he wants to live in our hearts. All we need to do is just invite him in. If you want to invite him in again, or even for the first time, go ahead and stand up right where you are. Go ahead. He is waiting for you.”
Without looking to the left or right, Morgan stood up. She knew she was doing it as much for Emily as forherself. But she meant it just the same. She had no problem inviting Jesus into her heart again and again and again. She knew that he was there all the time anyway. Nothing wrong with saying, “Make yourself comfortable, Jesus.” Now, if only Emily would do the same.
Just then, Morgan felt a brush of movement next to her and from the corner of her eye, she could see that Emily had shifted in her seat. Morgan shut her eyes tight. She knew that this was Emily’s decision. So she just stood there with her head bowed, praying for Emily and echoing the words to the prayer that the man in front was leading.
Then the prayer was done and Morgan could see that Emily was still seated. She sat down next to her and felt a wave of disappointment. It seemed that Emily, more than anyone Morgan knew, needed God in her life right now. Why hadn’t she stood up?
After the service, without even waiting for Morgan, Emily stood up and left. Worried that something was wrong, Morgan followed and they ended up in the women’s restroom.
“Are you okay?” Morgan asked Emily.
Emily nodded. But Morgan could see tears in Emily’s eyes.
“What’s wrong?” asked Morgan, seriously concerned for her new friend.
“I think I just invited Jesus into my heart,” Emily whispered.
Morgan’s eyes grew wide. “Really?”
Emily nodded again.
“But you didn’t stand.”
“I know.” Emily frowned. “Does that mean it’s not real?”
“No, of course it’s real,” said Morgan. “If you prayed, it’s real.”
“Oh, good.” Then Emily really did begin to cry. But, unlike yesterday’s tears, these looked like happy tears. Joyful tears! “It sure does feel like it’s real,” she said to Morgan.
“I’m so excited for you!” Morgan hugged her. “It’ll be so great to have a best friend who’s a Christian too! This is fantabulous!” She looked at Emily’s tearstained face. Did Emily fully understand what she’d just done? Had she really meant it? “You’re sure about this, aren’t you? I mean, you really did
want
to invite Jesus into your heart, right?”
Emily sucked in her breath with a creased brow, as if she was really considering
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