This year church camp was different in some ways and not so different in others. I always meet some of the kids but I don’t always get to lead one to Christ.
One of the other sponsors in my cabin had given a heads up on Jonathan, saying he had approached him and said he had no peace.
After another great service in the main tabernacle and an inspiring talent night, all of us headed back to our dorms.
We vied for showers when we got back; there were about 30 of us and 6 shower stalls, so it took time for everyone to finish.
Then came the wind down of the smaller kids playing, the bigger ones socializing, and all of us snacking.
I wandered around over to Jonathan’s bunk bed, where he and two others were sitting. I started up some conversational chit-chat like, “What’s your name?” “Where are you from?” – that sort of thing.
He leaned over to me and asked, “Did Brother Donnie tell you about me?”
“Yea” I replied.
The other two boys stopped talking and horsing around and leaned over to listen. Jonathon and I thought it would be better to speak over around my bunk so we moved.
He told me how had gone “down front” when he was 8-years old but now, at the age of 12, he was concerned that if he died he would not go to heaven.
We spoke about a few passages of scripture and I asked him if he wanted to ask Jesus into his life. He did but said he didn’t know what to say or pray.
“I think you do,” I said, “It’s inside of you, it’s what is in your heart.”
He began to pray.
I remember that he prayed, “Lord, save me!”
It was the same exact words that were heard earlier in the sermon about Peter’s unstoppable faith as he climbed out of a boat to meet Jesus walking on the water.
But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, Matt 14:30-31
The same thing happened to Jonathon; he was going to church (walking on water) but felt no peace (the wind was boisterous) and thoughts of going to hell bothered him (he was afraid and began to sink).
Like Peter, Jonathon looked to the Lord and cried out, “Lord, save me!”
And like Peter, the Lord Jesus did!