Does Heaven Have A Gate?

Who would have thought that would be the most important question I would ever hear my sweet little boy ask. But that was the start of thee most important decisions in my childrens' life. The decision to accept the Lord Christ Jesus as their Personal Saviour.

It started like this... Sadie, my 7 year old daughter had been running around the church after Awana, and I got concerned because I couldn't find her. "I get worried when your out of my sight Sadie. I always want to know where you are," I said when I found her.

Fast forward 20 minutes when we are all buckled into the car to go home.
"What would you do if you couldn't find me Mom," she asked.
"I'd search for you until I found you," I said.
"What if you couldn't find me though?"
"I'd search for you all the days of my life and if I still couldn't find you when I died then I'd wait for you at heaven's gate because I know you will live with me there for eternity." I said, feeling a little teary over the thought.

"Mommy," Philip said, "Does heaven have a gate?"
"Yes, heaven has the biggest most beautiful and ornate gate you could imagine. When people talk about the pearly gates they are talking about the beautiful white gates at heaven's entrance. Only those who believe in Jesus as their personal saviour can enter through the gates and live in heaven. Do you know what heaven is?" I said, not knowing if they truly understood, but always hoping to plant a seed.
"Heaven is where God and Jesus lives," Addie piped up.
"Yeah and angels too," Carter added.
"But God made it all he made heaven and earth." Philip likes to show off his knowledge.
"God made everything!" Addie enthusiastically replied. And then a jabbering from all of them ensued about the many many things that God did make, trees, dogs, sky, stars, turtles, dinosaurs (but those ones all died), and of course the things God didn't make but made materials for and also made the people to build, like cars, houses, bandaids, etc.
Knowing this could go on forever I decided to redirect the conversation, "And who is Jesus?" I asked, testing their knowledge.
"God's son!" They all replied without hesitation.
"And why was Jesus born?" I asked, seeing if they were starting to understand the meaning of Christmas.
"God loves us and sent his son," Philip quoted his cubbies verse.
"Because he was a baby and he was God's son and he had a mom," Addie said.
"Yeah and God is his dad, Addie." Carter noted.
A groan came from the back seat, "Jesus was born becuase he had to die for our sins so we could go to heaven. because we all sin and do stupid stuff like lie, and be bad" Sadie said a little exasperated by her siblings, but finally inspired to join the conversation.
"I'm glad you know that Sadie because I know you already accepted Jesus as your saviour. Addie, Carter, Philip, I hope someday you will decide to accept Jesus as your saviour and know Jesus is the son of God, believe that he was born on earth and died on the cross to pay for your sins and that he rose again, and that you will trust him as your very own savior. Then you will live in Heaven with God, and me and Sadie. Forever."
"I do Mommy, I know Jesus is God's son, I want to live in heaven after I die. " Philip said.
"Me too," Addie said, "because I know God and Jesus."
"Jesus is my saybeyour," Carter said in his cute little voice, "I want to live in heaven."
"Yeah and Jesus died on the cross mommy," Philip added importantly.
"Wow! Okay,you reallu know your stuff kids good work," I said, "Then let's pray....."

And that was the begining of the conversation that prompted my three youngest children to accept Jesus as their Saviour. We prayed together and talked about what an important decision they had made. How this day heaven rejoiced for them and their book was now written in the book of life and they would some day enter the gates of heaven, and see God face to face. This is a day to celebrate!!!!