When I was pastoring in Texas, I was asked by one of our AWANA leaders to come to her group and talk to a little girl who really wanted to meet her pastor. She had a question for me. So, I paused what I was doing and found my way to where her group met in our church.
The little girl was so excited when she met her pastor personally for the first time! She hugged me and told me she prayed for me. Then I said, "Did you have a question you wanted to ask me?"
She looked at me with a serious look and said, "I sure do, Pastor." I said, "Well, tell me what is on your heart."
The little girl began to open up to me. "Pastor, you tell us to invite Jesus into our hearts. I have been thinking about that and I want to do it...but something is bothering me."
"What is the problem?" I asked.
Tears came to her eyes. "Pastor, if I invite Jesus into my heart...will he walk away and leave me one day?"
"Why in the world would you ask that question?" I said to her little sad face.
"Because my Daddy left us and just walked away. And now we are all alone. If Jesus is just like my Daddy....I don't think I want Him to come into my heart," she said sobbing with tears.
"Listen to me," I said. "The last thing that Jesus said to us before He went back to Heaven is, 'I am with you always, even to the end of the world. He is not like your Daddy. He is faithful to the end. He will never walk away. He will come in today and come in to stay with you forever! You can trust His Word."
I led that little girl to Christ that night thanks to the faithfulness of Jesus.
- Dr. Larry Petton