Little Anna

AS I was walking down the street one day, I met a little girl, whom we will call Anna.
I stopped and asked her if she would like to have a little paper with a nice picture on the front page.
"Yes," said Anna, as I handed her the paper and asked if she went to Sunday school.
"Yes, I do", she said.
"Has your teacher told you about a Man by the name of Jesus?"
"O! they nailed Him to the cross," she replied.
Then I told her how Jesus died on the cross and was taken down and put in a grave. Told her how the third day after God raised Him from the dead, and took Him, a little later, up to heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of God.
I told her also that Jesus is coming back again for all who believe in Him and love Him, and that He will take them to live with Him forever.
"The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess. 4:16, 1716For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑17).
"O! what kind of a place is it?" asked Anna.
I told her it was God's home and very beautiful, and the home of Jesus, too.
"O, what shall we take?" she asked. "Do you mean what clothes shall we take?" I replied.
"Yes," she said.
Then I told her that Jesus has ready for us, up there, everything we shall need. We shall take nothing away with us when we leave this poor sinful world.
"How old are you, Anna?" I asked. Counting the thumb and fingers on one hand, as she held it up, she replied,
"Just this old." (five years) "I must go home now," and she ran across the street. Then she turned and came back, and pointing to a building nearby said,
"Lady, when Jesus comes, tell Him I live at that hotel. I am afraid He will not find me."
So I explained to little Anna that Jesus knew just where she lived and all about her,—that He saw every thing she did, all day long, and watched over her all through the night.
I told her that if she believed in Jesus, He would surely take her when He came. (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)).
Again she said, "I must go home now," and went across the street.
But once more she returned, saying, "O lady, tell Jesus I have a father and mother."
"If your father and mother believe in Jesus, He will take them too, when He comes," I said.
And little Anna ran home to have her mother read to her the little paper that told of Jesus who loved her.
Messages of God’s Love 2/28/1932