Out of the Mouth of Babes

From the Church News of the Netherlands Reformed Congregations of Southern Alberta, Canada

The following story is the wonderful account of a German soldier who came to conversion through the means of a four-year-old boy. That is the reason for the title of this article. We relate the story in the soldier’s own words.

On a certain day we came into a village where we would be staying for eight days. I was assigned to lodge with a farmer who received me in a friendly manner. He showed me my room and asked whether I preferred to eat alone or if I would rather eat with the family. The hired servants also ate with the family. At the meal a great surprise awaited me. Everyone arose, and the father uttered the following prayer: “These wait all upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat in due season. That Thou givest them they gather: Thou openest Thine hand, they are filled with good” (Psalm 104:27&28). This was followed by the Lord’s Prayer and closed with “May this food be blessed of God the Father, and of God the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” Everyone, children included, stood reverently with folded hands; it was as if they all prayed. The youngest boy, who was only four years old, was as quiet as if he were in church. He repeated aloud only the word “Amen.” Out of courtesy I had also stood up; I had never experienced anything like this, and my legs trembled with deep emotion. After the meal the father again gave thanks with the words,” 0 give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for His mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 136:1).

After this everyone went to work, and the children went to school. Filled with many thoughts of what I had experienced, I sat down in a corner of the room. Presently the four-year-old came, sat down with me, and said trustingly, “Come, tell me something about the Lord Jesus.” I was greatly perplexed, and in my embarrassment I began to tell him of horses and cows, goats and sheep, and of the places I had visited because I knew nothing of the Lord Jesus. The little lad kept insisting that I would speak about the Lord Jesus, and he kept pressing me until finally I had to tell him, “I don’t know anything about Him.”

“You are so grown up already,” said the little lad, “and you don’t know anything about Him; then you won’t go to heaven either.”

I had never yet thought about heaven. It was painful to hear such a verdict out of the mouth of a child. I went outside and found my comrades-in-arms, but I could not get rid of the impressions left by the words of the boy. I thought that I had better stay with my friends until supper time was past on the farm. When I finally returned, they had long ago finished supper, but the young lad who was just getting ready to go to bed, watched me closely and said in a serious manner, “You must first pray.” That was a thrust that hit home deep into my heart because I could not pray. Then the four-year-old boy came to stand closer beside me, folded his hands, and said, “Come Lord Jesus, be Thou our Guest and bless what Thou hast given us. Amen.” “That is how you must pray,” he said. Then he went to bed. I was so deeply moved that I could not swallow my food.

The little lad kept insisting that I would speak about the Lord Jesus, and he kept pressing me until finally I had to tell him, “I don’t know anything about Him.”

Before we went to bed, the entire family came together again to close the day. First they sang together. The words went through my soul. Then the father read a chapter from the Bible and gave a short explanation of it. Everyone knelt, including me, and a prayer went up in such a childlike, earnest way, but also so reverently that I was deeply touched by it. I was nearly overcome by it all and was so deeply ashamed that I dared not raise my eyes. I felt my great lack, and my heart was stirred within me. Finally everyone shook hands, wishing each other a good night, and went to retire. Only the farmer and his wife stayed behind to read something out of God’s Word for themselves.

The friendly farmer gave me a Bible, too, in case I would want to read something for myself. Thus I sat there, for the first time in my life, with an opened Bible before me. Finally I also went to bed, and there I prayed for the first time in my life. “0 God,” I prayed, “God of this household, wilt Thou also be my God.”

The farmer and his wife noticed that my stay with them had not left me without impressions. They spoke much to me of the peace with God which they often enjoyed through faith in the Lord Jesus and His finished work.

For me the next Sunday became very significant. The preaching which I heard there showed me my lost state before God. There I also heard and began to understand something of the unfathomable love of God to save that which is lost. The Lord led me further in that way so that I might come to the knowledge that the precious blood of Christ was also shed for me. Yea, I might experience the cleansing of it applied to my heart; His Name be praised unto all eternity.

Boys and girls, and whoever may read this, the story of the conversion of a German soldier has been related to you. Out of the mouth of that young boy, at whose home he was lodged, the soldier heard for the first time not only of heaven and hell, but also of Him whose blood cleanseth from all sin. In this true account, the words of Israel’s poet are confirmed, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength.”

Infant lips Thou dost ordain
Wrath and vengeance to restrain,
Weakest means fulfill Thy will,
Mighty enemies to still.

— Psalter 15:1

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen