OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES – June 24, 2022
“I recently read a story about another little girl. She was eleven years old and was from the land of central Chile. The March 1980 edition of Mountain Movers carried her story. Maria had come to faith in Christ and for months, she and her missionary friends had been praying that her daddy would receive Christ’s gift of salvation as well. “Take the book, Dad, please take the book,” pled eleven-year-old Maria, “you can read it tonight during your break.” “No, Maria, I don’t have time. Where’s my lunch?” “On the kitchen table, Daddy.” As he disappeared into the kitchen, Maria slipped the little book into her dad’s coat pocket. Lunch in hand, he picked up his coat, gave Maria a kiss, and walked out the door. “Please, Lord Jesus,” prayed Maria, “make Daddy read that book. I want him to come to know You.”
Two years earlier, Maria’s mother had died. Alone, she took care of her dad, washing his clothes and cooking his meals. Nothing she could do seemed to interest him in spiritual things and her efforts to take him to church had been futile. When a missionary came by with some Christian books, Maria had a thought, “Maybe Daddy will read a book!” After she explained her need, the missionary recommended one of the books, saying, “I think he might read this one.” All Maria could do now was pray and hope. Perhaps tonight her dad would find the book in his coat and read it.
The explosion at 1:10 a.m. shook the mining town awake. Sirens started wailing. The villagers rushed to the mine entrance, fear clutching their hearts. Of course, Maria was among them. She watched apprehensively as a beehive of men desperately tore at the caved-in mine entrance, pushing out debris and shoveling out dirt to make a passageway for oxygen and hopefully, for any survivors. After what seemed like hours, there was a shout of joy. Some had survived. With other girls and mothers, Maria huddled at the entrance to watch the men come out. Her father was not among them. The hours dragged by, on and on into the next day. With each passing hour, hope faded. The missing men had been caught deep in the mine, with the oxygen supply cut off from above.
Late into the second night they found them. One of the searchers described the scene, “As we were digging deep in the mine well, the ground gave way suddenly. Once the dust had settled, we saw the bodies – all eight of them. One of them had a small book in his hand and it was opened to the last page. With a piece of charcoal he had scratched out a message, ‘My dearest little Maria, thank you for putting the little book in my coat pocket. I read it several times and all the other men listened. I did what the book says and accepted Jesus as my Savior. One day we’ll be together in heaven. I love you very much, Daddy.’
Out of the mouths of babes – may we be like them!”
That manuscript is from a sermon preached on 2/18/1996 by Pastor Stephen Davey
There is a second story I want to share today, and it is from my recently published book called For Emily – Animals I have loved.
“After my brother Charlie died in 1985, my boyfriend Sam (Jamie and I had separated six months before) took me to his parent’s cabin in the westernmost part of Maryland. We left just before dusk, and Sam stopped for fuel. He left the hatchback of his VW Gulf open while pumping, and I asked him to be careful that Elizabeth didn’t jump out. Well, she did.
Arriving late at night I discovered she was missing, and he refused to drive back for her. He refused the next day too. My depression became intolerable and I was so worried about my cat. Snow fell all weekend.
I practically fought with him to get him to stop at that gas station on the way back. It was late at night, and there she was, at the edge of a cone of light from the pole casting a circle of white on the snow in the dark, the station closed. I saw her before we even crossed the median, from a distance. Elizabeth waited in a blizzard for 3 days at that Exxon in Ellicott City by the 83 Lumber when Sam let her out of the car while taking me to his parents’ cabin after Charlie died and he refused to go back to look for her after I discovered she had jumped out when he got gas. She waited where I could see her at the edge of that cone of light when I came, and she knew I would. As I wait for you, Emily. This is what our hearts do.
When I gardened, Elizabeth accompanied me, resting along the rows as I worked. She liked being carried in a wicker picnic basket with me when I went on errands.
Elizabeth lived for fifteen years, and in the last half of her life carried a fluid-filled tumor on her neck as large as her head. She was euthanized in Flagstaff, Arizona, and I buried her in my flower garden. Years later my daughter, driving back from San Francisco with her husband Brian, stopped and got the stone and flowers I planted over her grave and brought them back to Richmond, where she has them still.”
Hallelujah that today the Supreme Court has overturned ROE Vs. WADE, so babes like Maria with the metagene as a Child of the Most High GOD can live to free others from death and be reborn and washed clean of the devil’s gain of function serpent seed by Jesus Christ!
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