A few years ago I found out my unsaved grandma was about to die. Unfortunately, my Chinese was not up to par, so I couldn’t say what I wanted to say to her. Instead, I wrote a letter and had my aunt read/translate it to my grandma.
The purpose of the letter was to tell her about Jesus. I don’t know why, but I felt like digging it up and sharing it.
And I wish I could tell you there was a happy ending, but there wasn’t.
It’s okay though. Through it all, I came to understand Jesus still sits on the throne in situations like these.
The Letter
Dear Grandma,
I want to write you a letter and tell you how much I love you. You’ve always been very close to my heart even though we’ve been separated for awhile. For the longest time you were a mom to me, making sure we got up for school and taking care of us when we were sick.
I remember when I was younger I would wake up in the mornings and lay in bed for a few minutes. Then I’d yell “Grandma!!” and wait for you to answer. Once you answered, I’d be satisfied and get out of bed. If you didn’t answer, I’d keep yelling and yelling until you would. Sometimes I’d even start crying until you answered. I didn’t want to talk to you or anything; I just wanted to know you were still around and close to me. It made me happy to know you were.
I love you. I want you to know that if I could, I would take your sickness on me. I would even trade places with you and die so that you could live instead of me. I never understood that kind of love until someone did the same for me. Someone died for me. And now I want you to understand that kind of love. Listen to me now because I would give my life to anyone if only they’d believe and understand what I’m about to say.
The man who traded his life for mine was Jesus Christ. To him I owe everything. I owe him my life and my complete devotion. He’s done so much that I have to share it with you so that you have a chance to love Jesus as much as I do. Jesus lived awhile ago and spent his life sharing God’s promises. These promises eventually led people to kill Jesus because they were afraid of him. Jesus could have run away and avoided dying, but he let the people kill him because He wanted everyone to know how much he was willing to sacrifice for us. He wanted to show us his love for us.
Even though Jesus died, three days later God raised him from the dead so that we could experience God’s promise. That promise is that if we believe Jesus was the Son of God and that God raised him from the dead, then we can also be raised from the dead when we die. Everyone who believes will be able to live forever in Heaven with Jesus and everyone else who believes. But only if you believe Jesus died for you.
Grandma, that’s what I want for you. I cry at night when I pray for you that you would understand this because it would hurt me so much to call your name in Heaven and have you not there to answer. This is important to me.
So Grandma, know that Jesus loves you. He traded his life for yours as well as mine. Jesus wants to see you in Heaven. I want to see you in Heaven. All you have to do is believe in your heart that what I just told you about Jesus is true. I know it is because I’ve believed in Jesus for five years now and Jesus has revealed himself to me, letting me know He’s still alive and in Heaven waiting for me.
I pray that you would understand all that I just said. I pray that God will heal you so that you have more time to live and let Jesus reveal himself to you as well.
I love you Grandma, -Alex