W
HEN THE NURSING HOME for 68 years. Now she was afraid to die
called and said Aunt Helen because she didn’t feel worthy of heaven.
was having a bad day, I wasn’t “Aunt Helen,” I said softly, “Do you
expecting what I found. As I feel you’re not going to heaven because of
walked into the room I had an the abortion you had when you were 18?”
ugly feeling I couldn’t explain. I knelt She lowered her head and her eyes
beside her and spoke her name. filled with tears.
Her frantic eyes looked into mine as “God paid for that sin a long time
she grabbed my hands. ago,” I said in a confident voice. “But you
“I’m dying!” she shrieked. never have received His forgiveness.
I didn’t know what to say. Please ask Jesus into your heart. Then you
“I don’t want to die like this,” she will be assured of your place in heaven.”
screamed in a frightened voice. Several minutes passed, and I could
“I’ll stay with you tonight,” I whis- feel the battle raging in the room.
pered as I caressed her wrinkled cheek. Suddenly Aunt Helen grabbed both of
The hours passed slowly, and often She turned her head and looked my hands with her trembling ones. She
she would cry out that she was afraid. directly into my eyes. I knew she was wrapped her bony fingers tightly around
By this time I’d figured out what the aware of what I was saying. Breathing a mine and said in an authoritative voice,
ugly feeling was. There was a battle for prayer for strength, I whispered, “I have “Lord Jesus, come into my heart!” We
Aunt Helen’s soul going on in that room. something to ask you.” both heaved a mighty sigh of relief as I
I always felt in my heart that my aunt She didn’t move. gathered her into my arms.
had not asked Jesus into her heart. I knew “Have you ever asked Jesus into your The room was immediately filled with
she believed Jesus was God’s Son and the heart?” peace. The battle was over, and once
Savior, but I’d never asked her about Her eyes looked away. again Jesus had been victorious.
whether she’d received the gift of salvation. “I know you love Jesus and always The rest of the night was spent with
I always dismissed the nagging feeling have,” I quickly soothed. “But you must me singing songs and reading the Bible to
because I felt I had plenty of time to con- accept Him as your Savior by asking for my aunt. Never once did she again
front her with this. Now I was worried it His forgiveness.” scream that she was afraid to die.
might be too late. Her tormented eyes again looked Death came at 10:10 the following
Her eyes remained closed except for briefly into mine. There was sadness in morning. My eyes filled with tears of sad-
the few times when she’d open them them I’d never seen before. ness as well as joy, because I knew she
wide and anxiously look around. The I knew my aunt had an abortion was safe.
frantic look told me she saw something when she was a young woman, and I’d
her eyes alone could see. always thought she felt unworthy of life Marcia K. Leaser, who lives in Freemont,
“Aunt Helen?” I inquired. because of it. That sin had burdened her Ohio, has been writing for forty years.
THE
Acknowledge you have sinned
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us”
KEYS TO
(1 John 1:8).* “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
ETERNAL
Believe in Jesus
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). “For God so
LIFE
loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
CHRIST PAID for our Confess and renounce your sin
salvation with His death
“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that
on the cross, but for us
God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). “If we confess
to accept this gift is as our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
simple as using these
unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
keys to unlock the door: *Scriptures are from the New International Version.
28 EVANGEL • AUG 2009
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