God Uses Children – Children’s Corner
Children are very precious to the Lord Jesus. He was once a boy Himself; and when He wad only twelve years old, He went into the Temple, and by asking questions of the teachers of Israel there, He taught them things they did not know. He has often used children to speak for Him. There was Samuel, who when a boy in the temple in Shiloh, heard God?s voice, and gave His message. There was the girl whose name we do not know, but who, though a captive maid in Syria, so loved her enemies that she brought her master Naaman to be cured of the leprosy and to worship the true God. There was the great prophet Jeremiah, who was only a child when the Lord called him to speak His words. There have been many others through the ages, and there will be more. If children will love the Lord with all their hearts, and seek to do His will, God will make them His workers and helpers.
When Ellen Harmon (Ellen White), a strong and happy little girl of nine years, was by an accident turned into a weak and sickly child, she thought at first she could never be of any use in the world. For several years she struggled with the temptations made by her illness and her troubled thoughts. But God was watching over her, and He led her to know and to trust her Saviour.
When she was thirteen years old she began to have dreams, dreams that seemed to mean far more than most dreams. One dream filled her with dread, for it made her think she was lost. But then she dreamed another dream which changed all that. She dreamed she was sitting in despair, with her face in her hands, and thinking, “If Jesus were on earth, I would go to Him. Surely He would have pity on me.” Then she dreamed that a bright angel came to her and said, “Do you want to see Jesus?”
“Yes, oh, yes,” she said eagerly.
“Then come with me,” said the angel. “Gather up all the things you have that a little girl or a big girl loves. Gather them up, and come with me.”
So she heaped them on her bed. Then she took a big cloth and wrapped them up.
“Are you ready?” asked the angel.
“Yes, I?m ready,” said Ellen, and she picked up her things.
So they went out and walked until they came to where there was an outside stairway by a tall building, and up this the angel led the way. It was very steep, and Ellen?s arms were full, and she panted as she climbed up the stairs behind the angel. By the time they reached the top she was ready to put her treasures down.
“Do you want to see Jesus?” asked the angel again.
“Yes, oh, yes,” panted Ellen, “Yes, I want to see Jesus.”
“Then leave all your precious things here,” said the angel as he put his hand on the doorknob. “Leave them here, for you will not want them when you see Jesus.”
Quickly Ellen laid all her things on the floor. And she stood waiting.
Then the angel opened the door, and they went into a room. There stood Jesus, Ellen knew it was Jesus, for no one else could look so beautiful and so kind. But He was dazzling bright, and the light that came from Him filled all the room, and shone like the sun in her eyes. She tried to shield her eyes from the brightness, and she began to be afraid.
Then Jesus smiled at her. He came forward, and laid His hand on her head, and said, “Fear not, I am Jesus, your friend.”
The sound of His sweet voice filled her heart with a happiness she had never known before. So thrilled was she that all her strength ebbed away, and she sank to the floor at Jesus? feet.
While she lay there helpless the beauties of heaven seemed to pass before her, and she thought that she was at last in glory. Slowly her strength returned, and she rose. With the smile of Jesus still upon her she followed her angel guide out of the door and down to her home. This dream filled her heart with peace.
For all these months Ellen had kept her troubles to herself. She thought no one could understand how she felt. But now that Jesus had encouraged her, she went to her mother and told her all. Her mother sent her to Elder Stockman, a good Methodist minister who believed in the coming of Jesus. And to him she told her story, of her doubts and fears, her hopes and prayers, and of the dream she had had. He listened to her story, and then, laying his hand upon her head, he said, “Ellen, you are only a child. Your experience is very unusual for one of your age. Jesus must be preparing you for some special work.”
What was that work? Ellen could not guess; but she thought, “There can be no more special work than helping my friends to know Jesus.” And so she started with those nearest her?her sisters, her brother, her friends. She told them how she loved Jesus and why she loved Jesus. And she told them Jesus was coming very soon, and asked whether they were glad it was so.
Some of them were not very glad, for they were afraid that when Jesus came, they would not be ready to meet Him, and they would be lost. But Ellen told them of her dream, and she said to them “Jesus loves you just as He showed He loves me. Let’s pray to Jesus, and He will love you, and you will love Him too.”
So they formed little prayer bands, and her friends all came to be joyous in the Lord. And then they prayed together for others around them. They made special prayer lists of those who were not free or happy; and Ellen and some of her friends went to them and talked with them of the love of Jesus. And so at last all of them but one were brought to Jesus. I do not know who that one was; but I remember that even Jesus lost one for whom He laboured. You know whom I mean; Judas, who betrayed Him. There are some who will not be saved.
For three years, Ellen laboured in prayer and in personal work to save sinners. And when she was asked to speak in the meetings, she told her story of salvation through her faith in her soon-coming Lord. Hundreds were brought to their Saviour through her efforts.