Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

The Children'sA boy in India found new and differentways to show his love for the Savior.ThankYouForJesus"Who will cut the grass today?" The Indian motherstirred the pot of spicy vegetable curry while her childrengathered around, hoping for a taste. "If we don't get somegrass to thatch the roof," she said, "the rains will comeright in on us."The youngest little boy clutched his rags andshivered. "Don't ask me to go, Mother. I'm hungry. Just ataste?" He pulled at her sari."I'll go, Mother," said ten-year-old Devdan. He feltsorry for his mother who always had the problem offeeding a hungry family.Devdan, whose name means "Gift of God," hadrecently asked Jesus Christ to come into his heart.Because he loved Jesus, he wanted to do everything hecould to help his mother.He went outside and found the sickle, then headedfor the fields beyond the village where he could find thenice, long thatching grass.Devdan sang as he walked along the winding road tothe country fields. He was so happy—just to think thatJesus loved him. How could he ever thank Jesus for thewonderful gift of eternal life?He had thought of one way to say "Thank you" toJesus. He had gone to the pastor of his church and said,"Master, may I be the one who sweeps the church andkeepsit clean? I will do it for the Lord Jesus, because Hehas done so much for me."The Indian preacher was surprised and pleased."You surely may," he said.Not once had Devdan forgotten his promise.Whenever the people came to a meeting in the church,they foundit swept and clean. They found Devdan there,too. He loved to read God's Word and hear it preached.10When he came to the field of long grass, Devdannoticed a little boy and girl dragging a big pile of the grassbehind them."Friends," called Devdan, "I hope you will come tochurch—the one down the road there. You will hearwonderful things about Jesus who loves you."But the little boy and girl were busy with theirbundle. "We've never heard of Jesus," they said as theyhurried on their way.As Devdan began swinging his sickle, he felt sad tothink of the little boy and girl. He wondered how manymore boys and girls there were—right around his village inIndia—who had never heard of Jesus.Just then the grass near him moved suddenly. BeforeDevdan could jump back, a snake raised its head and bithim on the hand.Quickly, Devdan killed the snake with his sickle.Then he knelt down in the grass and prayed: "O God,ifitis Your will, heal me from this snakebite."Devdan spent three days in bed. He was very sick.The third day he understood that he was not going to getwell, and he called for his parents and brothers and sisters."I promised God I would give Him my chicken inthe offering at the church," he said. "But I will not be herethen. I will be with Jesus. Don't forget to take my hen tochurch and put it in the offering for me."Devdan then asked God to bless his family and thepeople of the church. He encouraged his parents to praymore so that God would give the family good crops. Thenhe stopped and raised his hands, and said, "Now the angelsare coming to take me to heaven."After that the people did not see Devdan at churchany more. They missed his happy face and his helpfulhands. But they knew that Devdan was happier than ever.Now he could see Jesus face to face and thank Him for thegift of eternal life.Have you ever wondered how you could say "Thankyou" to Jesus?Little Devdan was glad to be a Christian, but thereare many boys and girls just like the ones he met on theroad—no one has ever told them of God's love. Maybeone day you will want to say "Thank you" to Jesus bygoing as one of His missionaries. And you may offer Himmany "Thank you's" even now by loving and serving Himwith all your heart.—Adapted from story by Margot Kvaase, IndiaCOVENANTER WITNESS