This morning, Mr. Curious and I were reading the story of Joshua. Joshua was standing outside Jericho at night when, in a flash, he suddenly saw the Lord of the Hosts standing in front of him. The Bible Story book has a beautiful painting to illustrate the scene, and Mr. Curious and I were looking at the picture of Jesus, portrayed as Captain of Hosts in soldier uniform with a flaming sword and light beaming around him. Mr. Curious surprised me with a question. “Daddy, could Jesus really die?” he asked in disbelief, as if to say, “Could this awesome soldier lose a fight?”

I said, “Son, Jesus did really die, but He only died because He chose to die to take away our badness. No one could kill Jesus if He hadn’t allowed it.” Then I said, “When you see Daddy praying in the morning, I am praying to Jesus that my badness will die with Him at the cross.” Then, making an evangelistic appeal, I stretched out my hand and asked, “Would you like Jesus to take your badness away?” Mr. Curious’ eyes widened with the hopeful possibility. He nodded seriously and extended his hand to mine. So I said, “Why don’t you pray right now and ask Jesus to do that for you.”

How happy I was as my little three-and-a-half-year-old son knelt and prayed, “Dearest Jesus, I want You to take my badness and let it die on the cross with You. Fight that badness. Amen.”

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