Delores Liesner
Activating Faith in everyday life
The Mystery of the Faith of a Child
I’ve just come from the funeral of a child. 
The faith of the child and parents was similarly astounding and the underlying ‘chorus’ I heard heaven repeating was Luke 18:17 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
We adults complicate things so much. (Timothy said in 2Tim 2:8: Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel) Many adults on hearing the gospel (good news that Jesus paid our sin debt, rose from the dead and reconciled us to God) think it sounds too easy, and feel they have to DO something. I saw none of that in Elise’s story – just complete cheerful trust.
This little child I watched tonight sang, and prayed, and wrote love notes of trust and simplicity of faith.
Her parents learned from her to trust the Father as the child had trusted God and trusted them. Their child had tested the parents and found them trustworthy. I had to ask do those in my life find me that way – can they trust me totally – with their lives? Even after we have tested God and found Him trustworthy, do we trust Him as that child – unquestioning, totally surrendering to the support of the one who loves you so much and would never do anything to harm you? Do I?
I believe that about God. He loved me, after all, to give his best for my worst. So do I live that?
One of the most precious things I have heard was the voice of little Elise as she sang along with Veggie Tales’ song of Hope from the Easter Carol – especially the last two verses – imagine the sweet soprano of a 5 year old singing these words with inflection and passion.
There’s a story that started on Christmas
When a baby was born in the night
And those who came far, who followed the star
Were seeing a heavenly sight …
a heavenly sight.
Well the years hurried by, and the boy, now a man
Could make the blind see with a touch of His hand
He was born to be King — He was Rabbi and Priest
But the best that He had, He gave to the least …
He gave to the least.
He was born and He died, almost 2,000 years ago
He laughed and He cried, He felt all the fears we know
But what does it matter? A story so strange …
Even if it is true, what does it change?
What does it change?
Well He spoke like a prophet — like no one they’d heard
This simple young carpenter — crowds hung on every word
He hated injustice — He taught what is right
He said “I’m the way, and the truth, and the light.”
His friends soon believed that truly He was the one.
The Savior, Messiah, God’s one and only Son.
But others, they doubted, they did not agree
So they took Him, they tried Him,
He died on a tree …
He died on a tree.
God has made a way
For all who mourn and grieve
Death will never be the end
If you just believe.
There is nothing left to fear
Nothing Heaven knows
For He died for us to give us life
And to give us hope He rose
He died for us to give us life
And to give us hope He rose.
The gospel – from the lips of a child to my heart and to the hearts of all who heard Elise Korzenko sing her faith, and singing of hope to her parents and all whose lives she touched.
Believe. Trust. Surrender. Hope.
http://hartsonfuneralhome.com/ Elise Marie Korzenko
Be the Miracle! – with journaling pages
Delores Liesner: Author
American Christian Fiction Writers Association
Delores Liesner 