Carolina's Persistence
8:22 AM
It was Ground-breaking Day at Iglesia Bautista El Faro. We rented tents, set up chairs, and held a special service to dedicate the property the Lord had given us. After some special music and the sermon, Pastor Robbie explained that we would be signing a special Bible to bury in a time capsule beneath the site of the first building. The Bible was placed on a table in front, and we were instructed that one represen
tative of each family should come to the front and line up to sign the Bible in turn.
A line began to form as Pastor Matt played his guitar. Robbie assisted in the signing of the Bible, but noticed that a mother, her teen son, and her two school-age daughters were all in the line.
Just a few minutes
later, he noticed that Carolina’s children had once again joined the line, this time in a different place. Puzzled, Robbie once again approached the lady. “Just one representative per family, please, Carolina. The children don’t need to sign.” He received the same irritated look and hesitant response.
When the children got back into line for the third time, Robbie was sure there must have been some kind of misunderstanding. Why does Carolina keep sending the children back to the line?
“What? What do you mean?” the other lady asked.
“You have to have your name in that Bible to go to heaven!” explained Carolina, her eyes wide and serious.
“No, no, it’s just a time capsule to commemorate the new building,” the lady assured her.
“Well, I don’t think so. I think you have to have your name in the book!” Carolina replied. Poor Carolina was convinced that we were burying some sort of Lamb’s Book of Life. And that wicked pastor had been trying to keep her children out of heaven!
Yes, it’s silly to think that we could get to heaven because we signed our name in a Bible. But this is not an uncommon mistake. Tragically, millions go to hell because they are trusting in what they have done to save them. They need to hear the truth: the debt has been paid in full. Christ did for us what we could never have done for ourselves. He made a way for us to receive eternal life. We can’t add to or take away from what He has done; we simply need to accept it.
tative of each family should come to the front and line up to sign the Bible in turn.A line began to form as Pastor Matt played his guitar. Robbie assisted in the signing of the Bible, but noticed that a mother, her teen son, and her two school-age daughters were all in the line.
They were sweet people from a very poor family; Carolina was an uneducated and simple person, but one of our most faithful attendees. He whispered to her politely, “Hermana Carolina, just one of you can sign for the whole family. Tell the children to sit down, and you can sign the Bible for them.” To his surprise, she looked rather irritated at his comment, and grudgingly ordered the children back to their seats. Robbie drifted back over to the table to continue assisting those who were signing.
Just a few minutes
later, he noticed that Carolina’s children had once again joined the line, this time in a different place. Puzzled, Robbie once again approached the lady. “Just one representative per family, please, Carolina. The children don’t need to sign.” He received the same irritated look and hesitant response. When the children got back into line for the third time, Robbie was sure there must have been some kind of misunderstanding. Why does Carolina keep sending the children back to the line?
It wasn’t until the next day we realized why this dear lady had been so persistent. Another lady in the church confided in us that Carolina had been standing beside her during
the burial of the Bible. As it was lowered into the ground, Carolina whispered, “You know, if your name is in that Bible, you are going to heaven.”
the burial of the Bible. As it was lowered into the ground, Carolina whispered, “You know, if your name is in that Bible, you are going to heaven.” “What? What do you mean?” the other lady asked.
“You have to have your name in that Bible to go to heaven!” explained Carolina, her eyes wide and serious.
“No, no, it’s just a time capsule to commemorate the new building,” the lady assured her.
“Well, I don’t think so. I think you have to have your name in the book!” Carolina replied. Poor Carolina was convinced that we were burying some sort of Lamb’s Book of Life. And that wicked pastor had been trying to keep her children out of heaven!
Yes, it’s silly to think that we could get to heaven because we signed our name in a Bible. But this is not an uncommon mistake. Tragically, millions go to hell because they are trusting in what they have done to save them. They need to hear the truth: the debt has been paid in full. Christ did for us what we could never have done for ourselves. He made a way for us to receive eternal life. We can’t add to or take away from what He has done; we simply need to accept it.
Good story and great application! You had told us about it but we forgot.