The Altar Calls That All Grandmothers and Mothers Pray For

By Mary Hill

“No man comes unto Me unless the Father who has sent me draws him.” John 6: 44

The church is quiet, and the music plays softly
The preacher has delivered his message
Now is the time for decision.
The preacher signals me to come to the front, with Bible in hand, as he continues the altar call. “I want to ask you one question, if you were to die today, do you know that your home will be in Heaven? Or do you have some doubt? If you have doubt, please say these words after me.
“Dear Father, I am a sinner. Please forgive me and become Lord of my life.”
“Now if you have said this prayer with me, we have altar workers up here who would like to pray further with you and explain the full depth of your decision that you have made here today. Please come forward and let us pray for you. Don’t leave today without knowing that God loves you and wants you to spend eternity with Him.”

I wait nervously with my eyes closed, praying that God has moved in someone’s heart and that she comes forward.  A woman comes up to me with tears in her eyes.  I take her hand and lead her to the altar.  As always as I have done for the past year or so, I congratulate her on her decision she just made.  Then I say my usual first lines. Lines whispered in my heart when I began serving as an altar worker in 2009. “Do you know that more than 2000 years ago, Christ died on the cross for you and even more miraculous, He saw you as He hung dying on the cross. He saw you through time and knew you would be making the walk up the aisle to meet Him.  He loves you that much.”

I repeated this scene for almost two and a half years at the church that my husband’s son pastors.  I have not been to the altar for almost a year now with a new convert.  I stepped aside to allow room for new believers to become disciples and to start practicing their newfound faith.  I miss it, but I know God is leading me to another ministry.  

Sunday morning, we dedicated my 10 month old grandson, the pastor’s little boy, to Jesus.  My husband, I, and members of our congregation prayed over Colson “Seth” Hill and pledged to pray that when he comes to the age of understanding that he too will walk an altar to accept Jesus as his Lord.  

It seemed a fitting end to a week long vacation that actually brought me closer to God.  We only walked briefly into the Billy Graham Library and started the tour. An animated cow brought me to tears when she described the faith of a young Billy Graham and how he used to preach to them.  We then went into a historical room, where the beginnings of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association was narrated.  We had to leave though when our granddaughter started to get antsy and needed changing. Plus, we did not realize that the tour would take three hours, and we had made other plans for our vacation stay.  My husband and I plan to return though. I want to finish that tour.

The week brings home a real question for me with which many Christian moms will identify. How do we encourage faith in our little ones or even our older children? It is a tough questions. I mean I am so not a good example sometimes. 

I get angry with customer service people sometimes over money issues. I am at my worst with health insurance representatives. I get so angry and upset about how many medical bills we are facing even though we have health insurance.   Anyway, I digress. The only reason I mention this is because my daughter is often in adjoining room, and she hears my outbursts and anger. My point is that when we are at worst and sin, we have witnesses. Little ears and eyes watching us.

The last time I got off the phone after an angry outburst, I went in and hugged my now tween girl. I told her I was sorry for setting such a bad example.  Money is just money. I want my child to see Jesus in me.

I have meandered to the heart of my story.  Jesus used me as an altar worker from 2009 to 2012. My daughter saw that.  About three years ago when she was seven, she walked the aisle and talked to her brother’s wife.  I went outside with tears in my eyes, praying. 

That night, my step son and pastor, Eric Hill, got up in front of the church and proudly announced that his youngest sister accepted Jesus as her Savior.  I cried buckets that night.  My little girl finding Jesus. She now sings for Him.

I just hope that our little grandson finds his way to Jesus too.  We have two other grandchildren from my husband’s oldest daughter. They are so precious, and I pray the same for them.

As Christian grandmothers, moms, and aunts, we have such a huge responsibility.  Raising our children to love God is a tough assignment, but it starts with simply serving Jesus and remembering that we have little eyes watching us.

Do you have little eyes watching you? Do you have special testimonies to share?  I hope you will take this opportunity to do so. 

Love and Hugs, Mary