From the archives of Evelyn Roberts
I’ve learned that children get a lot more out of what they hear in church and Sunday school than we think they do. We never know when we’re ministering what goes into the heart of a listening child. And we never know God’s plans for that child when he or she grows up.
For example, when I was growing up, the only man I ever saw who preached healing and had healings take place in his meetings was Raymond T. Richie. He came to the little town of Checotah, Oklahoma, where I lived when I was eight years old, and I sat on the front row every night. It was exciting because people were healed every night. I said to myself, “God does heal! God does heal!” So when Oral began the healing ministry, I didn’t have a problem believing that God would heal in Oral’s crusades because I had seen it in Raymond T. Richie’s services.
However, in those days, most people did not really know that God would heal. Not even the preachers knew. They knew that God had healed in Bible days, but they didn’t know He would heal in their day, even though it was in their church doctrine. They just never saw any healings.
Whenever Oral prays for little boys and little girls, he puts his hand on their heads. Often the Lord reveals to him that they are going to be a minister, or do some special work for God.
Because a child’s mind is open to God, it’s never too early to begin teaching them that God loves them unconditionally. Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).
