Do You See the Nails?-A Story about the Cross

[ldonjohn]

 

A Story about the Cross

I wrote this story for my 6 year old granddaughter and to my surprise she read about half way through it before she asked me to finish reading it to her. She really liked it. I have shared it with others on another Christian Forum. I have received both negative and positive responses from readers. My hope is that this story might be used to help children understand the Gospel. Some might find it to be silly or a waste of time, or that it does not make sense, and that’s OK with me.

Do you See the Nails?

This story is about a boy whose name was “Itzak,” a Hebrew name that means laughter.  When Itzak was a little boy his mother took him to church most Sundays where he heard about Jesus.  By the time Itzak was almost nine years old his mother, his friends, and everyone who knew him were calling him Itzy.

One Sunday his Sunday school teacher told his class that if they would say a prayer, asking Jesus to come into their hearts that they would be saved and when they died they would go to heaven.  Itzy really wanted to go to heaven because he had heard that hell was the other place and that hell is where all the people go who don’t get their sins forgiven and that hell is where people burn in fire forever so Itzy said the prayer. Itzy’s teacher told his mom that he got saved and of course his mom was really happy about that. Itzy was baptized the very next Sunday.

The next year one of Itzy's friends was killed in an accident.  The preacher told everyone at the funeral that Itzy’s friend was in heaven with Jesus.  Itzy asked himself “Would I be in heaven if I was the one who died?”  He decided that he really didn’t know the answer to that question.  Itzy decided that he was going to start paying attention to what the preacher & his Sunday school teacher were saying in church.  Itzy did whatever the preacher told him to do to be saved, because Itzy really wanted to know that he saved.

As time passed Itzy found himself still wondering about where he would go when he died. He thought that he would go to heaven since he had done all the things he had been told to do in church, but for some reason he just wasn’t sure about it.  Finally, Itzy decided that, just to be sure, he would pray and ask God to save him again but this time he would keep praying until God showed him that he was saved, so Itzy prayed, and prayed, and prayed, and prayed until finally he fell asleep.  After Itzy fell asleep, he had a dream. In his dream God rolled back the sky so Itzy could see into heaven.  Itzy could see God looking down at him.  Suddenly God said “Itzy, there is something I need to show you."

In his dream God told Itzy that He was going to take him back in time to the day when Jesus was dying on the cross. Immediately Itzy was standing in front of the cross.  God said “Itzy, do you see My Son, Jesus, on the cross?”  Itzy said “Yes God, I see Jesus on the cross.”  Then God asked him “Itzy, do you see the nails?”  Itzy said “Yes God I see three nails, one in each of Jesus’ hands and one in his feet.”  God said “Itzy, those nails are your sins, one nail is all of your sins of your past, one of the nails is all of your sins of today, and the last nail is all of your sins of your future.”

Itzy asked God “Why are you showing me this, God?”  God said “Itzy, you have been begging me to save you and I want to save you, but I can’t save you until you see the cross in the same way I see the cross.”  Itzy said “How do you see the cross, God?”  God said “Itzy, I’m going to show you.  Are you looking at the cross?”  Itzy said “Yes, God, I’m looking at the cross.”  Then God said “Do you see the nails?”  Itzy said “Yes God, I see the nails.”  God said “Itzy, tell me why I should save you”  Itzy said “Well God, I said a prayer that the preacher told me to say.”  God said “Itzy, just saying a prayer doesn't save you, look at the cross again.”  Itzy said, “OK God, I’m looking at the cross.”  God said “Do you see the nails?”  Itzy said “Yes, God, I see the nails.”  God said “Now Itzy, tell me why I should save you.”  Itzy replied “ Well God one time in church I went to the alter and confessed all my sins.”  God said “Itzy, confessing your sins doesn't save you, look at the cross again.”  Itzy said “OK God I’m looking at the cross.”  God said “Do you see the nails?”  Itzy said “Yes God I see the nails.”  God said “Now tell me why I should save you.”  Itzy said “Well, when I went to the alter at church I promised you that I would serve you the rest of my life.” God said “I’m sorry Itzy, but that doesn't save you either, look at the cross.”  Again Itzy said “I’m looking at the cross, God.”  God said “Do you see the nails?“  Itzy said “Yes, God, I see the nails.”  God said “Tell me, Itzy, why should I save you”  Itzy said “One night I got down on my knees and repented of all my sins.”  God said “You should repent of your sins, but there is still something you need to see , so look at the cross again.”  Itzy said “I’m looking.”  God said “Do you see the nails?”  Itzy said “I see the nails, God.”  God said “Tell me why I should save you.”

Itzy said “OK, God, I said the sinners’ prayer, I confessed all my sins, I promised to serve you all of my life, I repented of all my sins, I turned from all my sins, I believe in Jesus, and I was baptized, now will you please save me?”  God said “Those are things you should do but there’s still something missing, so look at the cross.”  Itzy said “God, I don’t get it, why do you keep telling me to look at the cross?”  God said “Itzy, you will get it when you look at the cross the same way I look at the cross. I want you to look at the cross again.”  Itzy said “OK God, I’m looking at the cross.”  God said “Tell me what you see.”  Itzy said “I see Jesus on the cross.”  God said “Do you see the nails?”  Itzy said “Yes, God I see the nails?”  God said “Itzy, tell me why I should save you.”

This time Itzy didn’t say anything. God waited a few seconds then said “Itzy, are you there?”  After a long pause, Itzy said “Yes, Lord, I’m here.”  God said “Itzy, tell me why I should save you.”  Again Itzy didn’t say anything.  After another short pause God said “Itzy, why won‘t you answer me?”  Itzy said “I’m still looking at the cross, God.”  Again God waited a few seconds then said “Itzy, what do you see?”  Itzy didn’t say anything.  Again God said “Itzy, do you see the nails?”  Finally, after another long pause Itzy said “Lord, I see Jesus, but Lord, now I can’t see the nails.”  God said “Why can’t you see the nails, Itzy?”  A short pause this time, then Itzy said “They’re covered with blood Lord; all I can see is the blood.”  God said “Now you see the cross in the same way as I see the cross. When I look at the cross all I see is the blood.”

Then God asked “Itzy, why I should save you?”  Without hesitation Itzy said “Because of the blood, Lord, because my sins are covered by the blood.”  God said “Wait just a second, I’ll be right back.”  Itzy said “OK Lord, I’ll wait.”  A few seconds later God was back. God said “Itzy, are you still there?”  Itzy said “I’m here, Lord.”  God said “Now that you have been saved I just wrote your new name down in the book of life.”  Itzy said “Wow, you mean I get a new name too?”  Then Itzy said “What is my new name Lord?”  God said “I won’t tell you now, you’ll have to wait until you get to heaven, then you will know your new name.”

When Itzy was awakened by his mother he told her about his dream.  He told his mother that he wanted to read about Jesus dying on the cross in his bible.  Itzy and his mother opened their bibles to the Gospel of John and read about Jesus.  His mom explained to him how that Jesus died on the cross & that His blood paid the penalty for our sins.  Itzy told his mom that he had heard that in Sunday School but that he really had never thought about his sins being nailed to the cross with Jesus. Itzy’s mom told him that if he wanted be sure he was saved that Jesus was waiting for him to come to Him just like they had read about in the bible.  Itzy made his salvation sure that day and never again did he worry or wonder about whether or not he was saved.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37;KJV)

LJohnson, Revised, March.2014

Edited August 25, 2017 by ldonjohn

[ldonjohn]

On 9/16/2016 at 1:36 PM, ldonjohn said:

 

A Story about the Cross

I wrote this story for my 6 year old granddaughter and to my surprise she read about half way through it before she asked me to finish reading it to her. She really liked it. I have shared it with others on another Christian Forum. I have received both negative and positive responses from readers. My hope is that this story might be used to help children understand the Gospel. Some might find it to be silly or a waste of time, or that it does not make sense, and that’s OK with me.

Do you See the Nails?

This story is about a boy whose name was “Itzak,” a Hebrew name that means laughter.  When Itzak was a little boy his mother took him to church most Sundays where he heard about Jesus.  By the time Itzak was almost nine years old his mother, his friends, and everyone who knew him were calling him Itzy.

One Sunday his Sunday school teacher told his class that if they would say a prayer, asking Jesus to come into their hearts that they would be saved and when they died they would go to heaven.  Itzy really wanted to go to heaven because he had heard that hell was the other place and that hell is where all the people go who don’t get their sins forgiven and that hell is where people burn in fire forever so Itzy said the prayer. Itzy’s teacher told his mom that he got saved and of course his mom was really happy about that. Itzy was baptized the very next Sunday.

The next year one of Itzy's friends was killed in an accident.  The preacher told everyone at the funeral that Itzy’s friend was in heaven with Jesus.  Itzy asked himself “Would I be in heaven if I was the one who died?”  He decided that he really didn’t know the answer to that question.  Itzy decided that he was going to start paying attention to what the preacher & his Sunday school teacher were saying in church.  Itzy did whatever the preacher told him to do to be saved, because Itzy really wanted to know that he saved.

As time passed Itzy found himself still wondering about where he would go when he died. He thought that he would go to heaven since he had done all the things he had been told to do in church, but for some reason he just wasn’t sure about it.  Finally, Itzy decided that, just to be sure, he would pray and ask God to save him again but this time he would keep praying until God showed him that he was saved, so Itzy prayed, and prayed, and prayed, and prayed until finally he fell asleep.  After Itzy fell asleep, he had a dream. In his dream God rolled back the sky so Itzy could see into heaven.  Itzy could see God looking down at him.  Suddenly God said “Itzy, there is something I need to show you."

In his dream God told Itzy that He was going to take him back in time to the day when Jesus was dying on the cross. Immediately Itzy was standing in front of the cross.  God said “Itzy, do you see My Son, Jesus, on the cross?”  Itzy said “Yes God, I see Jesus on the cross.”  Then God asked him “Itzy, do you see the nails?”  Itzy said “Yes God I see three nails, one in each of Jesus’ hands and one in his feet.”  God said “Itzy, those nails are your sins, one nail is all of your sins of your past, one of the nails is all of your sins of today, and the last nail is all of your sins of your future.”

Itzy asked God “Why are you showing me this, God?”  God said “Itzy, you have been begging me to save you and I want to save you, but I can’t save you until you see the cross in the same way I see the cross.”  Itzy said “How do you see the cross, God?”  God said “Itzy, I’m going to show you.  Are you looking at the cross?”  Itzy said “Yes, God, I’m looking at the cross.”  Then God said “Do you see the nails?”  Itzy said “Yes God, I see the nails.”  God said “Itzy, tell me why I should save you”  Itzy said “Well God, I said a prayer that the preacher told me to say.”  God said “Itzy, just saying a prayer doesn't save you, look at the cross again.”  Itzy said, “OK God, I’m looking at the cross.”  God said “Do you see the nails?”  Itzy said “Yes, God, I see the nails.”  God said “Now Itzy, tell me why I should save you.”  Itzy replied “ Well God one time in church I went to the altar and confessed all my sins.”  God said “Itzy, confessing your sins doesn't save you, look at the cross again.”  Itzy said “OK God I’m looking at the cross.”  God said “Do you see the nails?”  Itzy said “Yes God I see the nails.”  God said “Now tell me why I should save you.”  Itzy said “Well, when I went to the altar at church I promised you that I would serve you the rest of my life.” God said “I’m sorry Itzy, but that doesn't save you either, look at the cross.”  Again Itzy said “I’m looking at the cross, God.”  God said “Do you see the nails?“  Itzy said “Yes, God, I see the nails.”  God said “Tell me, Itzy, why should I save you”  Itzy said “One night I got down on my knees and repented of all my sins.”  God said “You should repent of your sins, but there is still something you need to see , so look at the cross again.”  Itzy said “I’m looking.”  God said “Do you see the nails?”  Itzy said “I see the nails, God.”  God said “Tell me why I should save you.”

Itzy said “OK, God, I said the sinners’ prayer, I confessed all my sins, I promised to serve you all of my life, I repented of all my sins, I turned from all my sins, I believe in Jesus, and I was baptized, now will you please save me?”  God said “Those are things you should do but there’s still something missing, so look at the cross.”  Itzy said “God, I don’t get it, why do you keep telling me to look at the cross?”  God said “Itzy, you will get it when you look at the cross the same way I look at the cross. I want you to look at the cross again.”  Itzy said “OK God, I’m looking at the cross.”  God said “Tell me what you see.”  Itzy said “I see Jesus on the cross.”  God said “Do you see the nails?”  Itzy said “Yes, God I see the nails?”  God said “Itzy, tell me why I should save you.”

This time Itzy didn’t say anything. God waited a few seconds then said “Itzy, are you there?”  After a long pause, Itzy said “Yes, Lord, I’m here.”  God said “Itzy, tell me why I should save you.”  Again Itzy didn’t say anything.  After another short pause God said “Itzy, why won‘t you answer me?”  Itzy said “I’m still looking at the cross, God.”  Again God waited a few seconds then said “Itzy, what do you see?”  Itzy didn’t say anything.  Again God said “Itzy, do you see the nails?”  Finally, after another long pause Itzy said “Lord, I see Jesus, but Lord, now I can’t see the nails.”  God said “Why can’t you see the nails, Itzy?”  A short pause this time, then Itzy said “They’re covered with blood Lord; all I can see is the blood.”  God said “Now you see the cross in the same way as I see the cross. When I look at the cross all I see is the blood.”

Then God asked “Itzy, why I should save you?”  Without hesitation Itzy said “Because of the blood, Lord, because my sins are covered by the blood.”  God said “Wait just a second, I’ll be right back.”  Itzy said “OK Lord, I’ll wait.”  A few seconds later God was back. God said “Itzy, are you still there?”  Itzy said “I’m here, Lord.”  God said “Now that you have been saved I just wrote your new name down in the book of life.”  Itzy said “Wow, you mean I get a new name too?”  Then Itzy said “What is my new name Lord?”  God said “I won’t tell you now, you’ll have to wait until you get to heaven, then you will know your new name.”

When Itzy was awakened by his mother he told her about his dream.  He told his mother that he wanted to read about Jesus dying on the cross in his bible.  Itzy and his mother opened their bibles to the Gospel of John and read about Jesus.  His mom explained to him how that Jesus died on the cross & that His blood paid the penalty for our sins.  Itzy told his mom that he had heard that in Sunday School but that he really had never thought about his sins being nailed to the cross with Jesus. Itzy’s mom told him that if he wanted be sure he was saved that Jesus was waiting for him to come to Him just like they had read about in the bible.  Itzy made his salvation sure that day and never again did he worry or wonder about whether or not he was saved.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37;KJV)

LJohnson, Revised, March.2014

Corrected spelling of alter to altar.

 

By Ljohnson