OPHELIA EDSON DECIDES TO BE BOLD
It was a cold night. Ophelia Edson watched the big white puffs of frosty air flaring into the night as people chatted to one another standing outside the meeting hall. She had a lot on her young mind. The revival meeting she had just sat through had struck a chord in her heart and she mulled over the preacher’s words silently. Her mind wrapped around the appeal he had made, calling all those who had never given their lives to God to do so without delay. Ophelia had sat rooted to her seat staring intensely at the man. She could sense that God was calling her. She shifted restlessly from one foot to the other as she considered her options.
It was freezing.
One of the coldest winter nights they had experienced in a while for sure but it wasn’t a huge deterrent. She could be in and out before the cold really set into her bones and then if she changed into something warm soon after she was sure she would be safe. She glanced up at her father who was talking softly to a group of friends beside her and took a deep breath. There’s no harm in trying Ophelia she said to herself, the least you can do is try.
Hesitantly she tugged on her father’s arm in the hope of gaining his attention. After a short moment, he turned and huddled down to meet her gaze.
“What is it Ophelia?” he asked gently.
Ophelia felt herself relaxing. There was something about her Papa that made her feel safe and loved. Maybe it was the gentleness in his eyes or the calm, reassuring way he spoke or maybe it was his deep love for Jesus. Ophelia couldn’t be sure. Maybe it’ a combination of all three she thought to herself. But Papa was waiting for her to answer him.
She took a deep breath and spoke in a quiet rush “Papa, do you think I could be baptized tonight?”
