Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the
Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he
bought with his own blood.
A little girl in the Philippians stood outside the
doorway of the church intrigued by the love and joy displayed by those inside.
The American missionary had asked her to come in, but she had politely
declined. It wasn't because she didn't want to accept the kind of offer. Quite
the opposite; her heart was beckoning her to join in their singing and worship.
They seemed so happy, and the fellowship was so spontaneous and natural. But
this was a hostile area in the Philippines, and her father had strictly
forbidden her to have anything to do with those Christians.
Unknown to the little Filipino girl, the missionary was
praying fervently for her soul, longing to see the day when she would accompany
her inside the village church and learn of Jesus and how He shed His blood on a
cross so that her sins could be washed away. The girl knew something was
happening because each week she found it harder and harder to say no to the
missionary.
Finally one Sunday morning, she accepted. She accepted
the invitation to attend the Sunday school class, but also opened her heart to
Jesus and became a child of God. The missionary, overjoyed with the new
believer, soon presented her with a beautiful white dress, representing the
fact that Jesus had washed all her sins away.
Eager to see her new disciple the missionary rushed to
the next service. But the girl was nowhere to be found. No one had seen or
heard of her whereabouts. Concerned for the girl, the missionary traveled to
her home village.
Upon arriving at her home, she found the young, new
believer lying in the dirt. Her white dress was torn, filthy, and soaked in
blood. The girl's father hadn't shared the missionary's joy in his daughter's new found faith. In a drunken rage he had beaten her, repeatedly kicked her, and
left her to die.
The missionary gently lifted the fragile girl and carried
her back to the church where a doctor rushed in to help her. But there was
nothing he could do. He removed the ragged dress and cleaned her up, but her
injuries were too severe. The young Filipino girl would soon die.
The missionary and other friends stayed with her, trying
to comfort her during her final hour. Upon regaining consciousness she made an
unusual request. Despite the pain and trauma of her father's beating, she was
insistent on holding the white dress the missionary had given her.
They explained that it was torn and soaked with blood and
dirt, but she insisted on having it in her hands. With the simple faith of a
ten-year old she whispered, "I just want Jesus to know I was willing to
bleed for Him."
Are you willing to bleed for Him?
Dear Lord, thank You for shedding Your blood for us so we
can have eternal life. Help us be like the little girl and be willing to bleed
for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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