“Would you like to join us to say a prayer?” we asked nine-year-old Riatit as soon as we arrived home. We had been on a boat together over the weekend, and his father had been showing him how to steer it the entire way.

As we got off the boat, Riatit chose to jump out with us. “Can I come to your house with you?” he asked.

“Of course, Riatit, you know you are always welcome.”

As we entered the house together, we asked if he could join us in a prayer of thanksgiving. “No, I don’t do that.”
As we concluded the prayer, Riatit was already jumping happily on the trampoline.

“Riatit, why didn’t you feel comfortable joining us in the prayer?”

“Ask my Dad,” he responded.

“But Riatit, you are a bright and intelligent boy who can answer the question.”

“It’s because I don’t know which God you are praying to. Do you pray to Jesus? I have been told that He will burn bad people in hell forever.”

This young boy had a reason to think this way. Many here have the perception of everlasting flames that will burn forever to destroy those who did not accept Jesus. We explained to Riatit where this belief came from.

Please continue to pray for Riatit and his family, and their belief in everlasting flames, which is a wrong representation of the character of God. Please also pray that the Holy Spirit reveal the character of Jesus to many local congregations that teach the burning of the wicked in everlasting hellfire.

“The world needs today what it needed nineteen hundred years ago—a revelation of Christ” (Reflecting Christ, p. 231).

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