Scared of Ghosts

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, October 12.

By Andrew McChesney

T

he 11-year-old Navajo girl was scared of ghosts.

But Sarah didn’t tell Teacher Nancy that she was scared of ghosts when she began to study at the Seventh-day Adventist church in Page, Arizona. She didn’t talk to anyone about her fears except Tatum. Tatum was her 9-year-old sister, and Tatum understood. She was also scared of ghosts.

Then one day Sarah confided to Teacher Nancy that strange things were happening in her bedroom at night. She didn’t say much about what was happening, but Teacher Nancy could see that she was very scared.

“When those kinds of scary things happen at your house, you need to pray to Jesus,” Teacher Nancy said. “Jesus will save you from those things.”

Then she invited Sarah to go to the library for a talk. The library was located in a small room on the second-floor of the church.

The girl settled down on the floor, and Teacher Nancy sat in a chair near shelves of books.

“Ghosts are nothing more than evil spirits who want to frighten people,” Teacher Nancy said. “But Jesus is stronger than evil spirits and will protect you.”

Sarah listened carefully.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” Teacher Nancy said. “You can pray to Jesus, and you don’t have to be afraid of ghosts coming into your room.”

Then she taught Sarah how to pray to Jesus for help. “Ask Jesus for what you need,” she said. “You can just say, ‘Help me, Jesus.’ Then the evil spirit will go out of your house.”

Sarah didn’t say anything.

But when she got home, she told her little sister Tatum about what Teacher Nancy had said.

“She told me that we don’t need to be afraid,” Sarah said. “If we see something, we just need to pray to Jesus.”

Tatum slept in another bedroom in the house, and strange things also happened in her bedroom at night.

Sarah taught Tatum how to pray.

A few nights later, something strange happened again in Sarah’s bedroom. Sarah was scared, and she pulled the blanket over her head and began to cry. Tatum heard her crying and came to her room. She crawled under the blanket with Sarah.

At that moment, Sarah remembered what Teacher Nancy had said about praying to Jesus. She decided to pray.

“Jesus, help me,” Sarah said.

Immediately, she felt a whole lot better. Peace returned to the bedroom, and she was able to fall asleep.

Tatum stayed cuddled up beside her for the rest of the night. It was nice having her sister nearby. But it was even more wonderful knowing that Jesus was there.

From that night, Sarah knew that she no longer needed to be scared of ghosts. She could pray, and Jesus would protect her. He had protected her that night, and He would do it again. All she had to do was ask.

Part of a Thirteenth Sabbath Offering in 2011 helped to open the Seventh-day Adventist church where Sarah learned about the power of prayer in Page, Arizona. Thank you for your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter that will help more people learn about Jesus.