New Church

Jasmine sat in her bed, reading a book, when her phone rang. She took it from the lamp stand beside her bed and answered.

“Hello?” she asked.

“Hi, Jasmine,” the voice on the other end replied.

“Oh. Nice to hear from you again, Kate. Something I can do for you?”

“Yeah, Jasmine. I’d like you to come to church with me on Sunday.”

Jasmine bolted upright and exclaimed in disbelief, “What? No way! I’m too busy around here. And besides, I’ve got my own church to go to.”

“Oh,” Kate whispered, and Jasmine could tell from years of experience that her friend’s feelings were badly hurt. “Sorry to bother you then, Jasmine. It’s just…I’ve been feeling quite lonely lately. I don’t have any friends around my age at the church.”

“Really? What about Bessie?”

“Gone. Her family moved away last month. Didn’t you hear?”

“No. What about Josh?” Jasmine asked, starting to get irritated.

“He’s stopped coming.”

“Lola?”

“She’s five years younger than me!”

Jasmine scratched her head.

“Okay, you got me. But my parents would never allow it. They like the church we go to.”

“Please at least ask them, Jasmine! I need a friend.”

“Okay, okay, calm down Kate.”

********

Jasmine’s parents had been reluctant, for sure. But when she told them Kate’s need for a friend, they allowed her. Jasmine, as usual, had negative thoughts racing through her mind. She attempted to push them away, but they surged back. Jasmine shrugged to herself and continued with her day. She didn’t need to worry about her choice until Sunday.

********

Sunday Jasmine sat in the new church, knowing that her attention would divert to other things after a few minutes. She never listened to a full sermon.

Jasmine sat next to Kate, but didn’t even look her way. After a few hymns the sermon began, just like in Jasmine’s church. But the pastor spoke different than in Jasmine’s church.

In Jasmine’s church, the pastor spoke with long, complicated words and his voice rolled smoothly. This pastor spoke with shorter, more familiar words. Jasmine was surprised to realize how much attention she paid to his words as he spoke of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross, how Jesus had died on the cross for the sins of the world. He spoke of Jesus’ resurrection, and then he asked a question,

"How many of you can honestly say you have never sinned?”

Nobody raised their hands. Jasmine almost did, until she remembered when she had yelled at her dad, or stolen the handful of candies from the drugstore, or the countless other sins she had committed. Her hand stayed down. The pastor nodded.

“Exactly,” he said. “Nobody led a sinless life—and I mean nobody—except Jesus. He died on the cross for us, and all who believe in Him, and believe that Jesus is the Son of God, will become sons and daughters of God. If we repent of our sins. And that means knowing you did wrong and doing something about it. Ask forgiveness from God and stop doing what you did wrong. Repent means that you are going the wrong way, you recognize it, and you turn around and start going the other way. You need to repent of your sins, if you haven’t already.”

Jasmine drew her breath quickly. She looked down at her trembling hands and gulped. She whispered quietly, “Oh, no. Jesus, I didn’t know. I’m sorry. I repent. I’m a sinner, and I don’t want to be.”

Then she squeezed her eyes closed and whispered even quieter, “Thank you that Kate convinced me to come here today.”

And then Jasmine felt a large weight lift off her shoulders and peace flooded over her. Jasmine let out a large sigh of relief.