Chapter
17
Jessica
and her mother were working on preparing lunch for Jessica’s step-father. He usually got off work about four o’clock
and it usually took him only about ten minutes to get home. That is if he didn’t stop by the bar on the
way. And if he stopped by the bar ...
well no one knew what time he would be home.
Jessica’s mother was fixing spaghetti for lunch so Jessica made the
garlic bread. She had buttered some
bread, sprinkled garlic salt on top, and had put it in the oven for a few
minutes. Her mother was busy with the
spaghetti noodles, so Jessica had a few free minutes. She said to her mother, “I’m going over to
Gloria’s house for just a few minutes.
Can you get the garlic bread out of the oven in a couple of
minutes?” Her mother nodded and kept busy
stirring the spaghetti pot.
Jessica
wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and hurried out of the back door. It was a warm late spring afternoon. Summer vacation would soon be here. Jessica could hear children laughing in the
distance. One of them was probably
James. He loved the outdoors. Jessica knocked on Gloria’s back door and her
mother answered.
“Oh,
hello, Jessica,” she said. “Gloria is up
in her room. Just go on up. She’ll be glad to see you.”
Jessica
went up the stairs and knocked on Gloria’s closed door and said, “It’s me,
Gloria.”
Gloria
answered, “Come on in.”
Gloria’s
room was small, but neat and clean. Gloria always has everything in place, Jessica thought. Gloria’s
room was her safe place. It was her own
place. She had a twin size bed and a
small desk. Behind the door was a book
case. By her bed was a small nightstand
with a lamp and her Bible on it. Jessica
could tell that Gloria kept her Bible nearby to read it often.
“How did
you like church this morning?” Gloria asked Jessica.
“Oh it was
good,” Jessica replied as she sat down on Gloria’s bed. “It was much like I expected it would
be. Everyone was friendly and I felt at
ease.” Jessica had been worried about
visiting church for the first time. She
knew that the church people would be welcoming, but new things were always sort
of scary.
Gloria
went on, “What did you think of what the Sunday school teacher said? What did you think of the Prodigal son
story?”
Jessica
knew where Gloria was headed with her questions. And Jessica knew that Gloria wasn’t being
nosy; she was just concerned about her friend.
So Jessica said, “Gloria I know what you mean. I think I am like that prodigal son. And I know that I am away from my heavenly
Father. Gloria, I am ready to turn
around and go back to my Father. But I
don’t know how to - I don’t know what to say.”
Gloria sat
down on the bed beside Jessica. “You
don’t have to worry about what to say,” Gloria explained. “God already knows what you are thinking. He knows how you feel. He cares about you more than you could ever
imagine!”
Jessica
thought about that for a moment. God
knew what she was thinking! He knew how
much she wanted to be clean on the inside.
He knew how much she had tried to be good, and how sadly she had failed.
Jessica
said, “Gloria, will you help me to pray?”
“Sure, I
will.” Gloria replied. Gloria knelt down
beside her bed and Jessica followed her to her knees. “Just pray after me and mean it in your heart,”
Gloria said. And then she prayed a
simple prayer. “Dear Jesus, I know that
I am a sinner. I am sorry for my sins,
and I would like to ask you to take away my sins and give me a home in heaven
when I die. Thank you for dying on the
cross and for saving me. In Jesus’ name
I pray, Amen.”
Then Jessica
prayed that prayer. And as she did, it
seemed like a heavy load was lifted off of her shoulders. Jessica knew that Jesus had done what she
asked Him to do. She knew that she was now a child
of God and on her way to heaven! She
couldn’t stop grinning. She and Gloria
hugged and cried tears of joy. It was a
wonderful day. The best day ever!
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