Powerful Prayers

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, December 4.

By Youngsuk Chae

H

ave you ever felt shy? Have you ever felt so shy that you didn’t want to go to church?

That is exactly how Jaechan felt the first time that his parents took him to church in South Korea. He was too shy to go into the church. His heart pounded as he stood at the front gate of the church. He didn’t know what would happen inside the church. He didn’t know anyone inside the church. He didn’t have any friends inside the church. What if church was boring?

Jaechan didn’t want to go in. Father and Mother didn’t force him to go in. With their permission, he turned around and walked home.

The next Sabbath, Father and Mother invited him to go to church again. Jaechan didn’t want to go, but he felt bad saying no again. So, he reluctantly went with them to the church. When they arrived, he stopped at the gate. Should he go in? He went in.

The Sabbath School teacher greeted Jaechan warmly.

“Hello!” she said. “What is your name?”

“My name is Jaechan,” Jaechan said.

Teacher introduced Jaechan to the other children. They smiled and were kind to him. Jaechan felt comfortable among his new friends. Teacher taught the Bible in a fun way, and Jaechan found the lesson interesting. At the end of the Sabbath School class, Teacher prayed for Jaechan.

“Dear God,” Teacher said, “please open Jaechan’s heart to You so he will love You.”

Several of his new friends also prayed for him to know God.

“Heavenly Father,” one said. “Help Jaechan to love You.”

Their prayers worked.

Jaechan began to love Jesus. At first, he only attended Sabbath School and church. But after a while he began to participate in children’s activities in the afternoon as well. He began to study the Sabbath School lesson and memorize the memory verses during the week. He became friends with the church pastor. On Sabbath morning, he got up first and then woke up Father and Mother.

“Get up, get up!” he said. “We don’t want to be late to Sabbath School.”

He liked going to church so much that he invited three of his friends to go to Vacation Bible School at the church. The friends liked Vacation Bible School so much that they began going to church with Jaechan every Sabbath.

Jaechan is so happy. He met Jesus through the prayers of the Sabbath School teacher and the children in the Sabbath School class. After bringing his three friends to church, he prays to be able to introduce more children to Jesus. Every night before bedtime, Jaechan prays, “Heavenly Father, please help me to become a person who can lead people to God. Please make more people know God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!”

Thank you for your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter that will help children and parents learn about Jesus in South Korea.