• If I Should Wake Before I Die

  Contributed by Sermon Central on May 12, 2009 (message contributor)

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  Scripture:  Matthew 28:1-10

  Tags:  Easter Resurrection

IF I SHOULD WAKE BEFORE I DIE

A father knelt down beside his little boy’s bed. It was time for prayers, hugs and kisses, and tucking in. The little boy began the childhood prayer he had repeated so many times before: now I lay me down to sleep; I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake Pray the Lord, my soul to take.

This time the words got mixed up. Unwittingly, the child spoke words of the greatest wisdom. He prayed, "If I should wake before I die." Embarrassed, he stopped. "Oh Daddy, I got all mixed up."

Wisely, his dad responded tenderly, "Not at all, Son, that’s the first time the prayer was properly prayed. My deepest longing for you is that you may wake up before you die."

The child drifted to sleep, but the father turned the prophetic words about in his mind. "If I should wake before I die. That’s it!" he exclaimed. "that’s the promise of and hope of Easter. We can come alive and live forever!"

(From a sermon by Dennis Davidson, "PAUL’S WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION" 5/4/2009)