Dear Children,
You have been asking me to tell you about some of the children that Gramma and I talked to when we were teaching Sunday school. Yes, Gramma was a teacher for twenty-six years, and I was a teacher for thirty-one years. Let me tell you about little Margaret.
Margaret was only eight years old when she started to come to Sunday school. She lived about ten miles away, so each Sunday her Sunday school teacher would pick her up. She was always ready and waiting with a big smile on her face. This was the only Sunday school she had ever attended, and she loved it, right from the very first day.
Children, do you love Sunday school? Do you love the Bible verses in the Sunday school paper that you are asked to memorize? I hope so!
Little Margaret was learning all the verses from her Sunday school paper, so we gave her a beautiful new Bible for her very own. I cannot tell you how happy she was!
There was only one thing that made Margaret sad, and that was when the Sunday school teacher would tell her how the Lord Jesus Christ was so hated by the people and how the people shouted out to “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” She couldn’t understand why the people hated Him. All she could think about was the good things He did - healing sick people, making blind people to see, and lots of other things.
Little Margaret had just turned nine years old when she accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her Saviour. She was very interested in John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). She wanted to know all about “whosoever” and “eternal life.” We explained to her that “whosoever” means “me,” and that when we believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, then we have eternal life. We showed her Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23), that “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” I said before that Margaret was a very happy child. But knowing her sins were gone and that she had eternal life made her even happier than she was before. Now she started telling other boys and girls in Sunday school that they needed to be saved. We were all very happy for Margaret.
It was in the month of September that little Margaret was sound asleep at home in her second-floor bedroom when disaster struck. FIRE! FIRE! What a terrible word to hear when everyone is asleep in bed! Can you imagine what it would be like if the Lord Jesus came while you were sleeping in bed? No chance now to be saved. You have said “No” once too often to your Sunday school teacher and maybe to your parents or brothers and sisters. Why did you say “No”? Because you said, “Maybe tomorrow,” or, “Next week,” but not today. And now everyone that is saved is gone! You go looking for them, but you can’t find them. You are left behind! The Lord Jesus said in John 14:33And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3), “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there [you] may be also.” How sad that, with all the opportunities you had to be saved, you refused. You said, “No.” Now you are left behind! How sad; how awful!
Fire trucks and firemen arrived at Margaret’s house. Water hoses were turned on the house. Family members were rescued by the brave firemen who risked their own lives to save them. “Is everyone out of the house?” asked one fireman.
“No! Little Margaret is still inside!”
Back into the flaming house raced one brave fireman! He found little Margaret lying on the floor of her bedroom. He rushed outside through the smoke and flames, carrying Margaret in his arms, but it was too late. Little Margaret was now safe in the arms of Jesus, the One she loved and trusted for her soul’s salvation just a few weeks before.
When we went to the funeral home to look at the face of little Margaret, Gramma and I could say that she was safe in heaven. We could also say that someday we will see her again.
A few weeks later, Margaret’s brother came to Sunday school, and he had a bag in his hand. He opened it and brought out a Bible that looked in poor condition. The cover was dirty, but inside the pages were very clean. He smiled at us and said, “This is Margaret’s Bible.” What a beautiful surprise! Sure enough, inside was her name and the date she trusted the Lord Jesus as her Saviour. Everything in their house was completely destroyed by the fire, but here was Margaret’s Bible. It was found under the burned-out bedspring of her mattress. No doubt Margaret laid it there, under her bed, just before she went to sleep. Then she woke up in heaven!
Dear children, if something like this happened to you, would you wake up in heaven? or in hell? There are only two places we are told about in the Bible where the souls of men, women, boys and girls will go when they die. The happy place is heaven; the very awful place is hell.
Little Margaret made a wise choice. She came to the Lord Jesus for salvation, He forgave her of all her sins, and now she is in heaven with Him. Don’t you agree that she made a very wise choice? Will you make that same wise choice right now?
Lots of love to you children,
Gramma & Grampa
ML-06/29/2003