I wasn’t there for this particular episode, but Michelle insists it was one of the funniest moments from Elen’s frequently hilarious toddler-hood. Here’s how it went down:
We had just moved to a new area and were still finding our feet, meeting new people etc. So you can imagine Michelle’s joy when she was invited to join a bunch of young mums and their little-uns on their weekly pilgrimage to Wetherspoons (a chain of low-cost English pubs), for an early morning breakfast and a natter! Before long she was loving the warm friendship (and reasonably-priced toast) and the Wetherspoons jaunt soon became a regular fixture for the Hankey girls.
Now Elen has always loved songs! I mean she wasn’t so much the kid who knows all the words to “Twinkle, twinkle little star". She was more like a pint-sized jukebox who would burst out into song regardless of time or place. It was almost as if someone had put a coin in the slot and she had no choice but to perform!
One morning while chilling in Wetherspoons, the Jukebox simply had to play. At that time Elen was really loving a worship song called Happy Day by a guy called Tim Hughes. The lyrics for the second verse go like this:
When I stand, in that place
Free at last, meeting face to face
I am Yours Jesus You are mine.
Endless joy, perfect peace
Earthly pain finally will cease
Celebrate Jesus is alive.
He’s alive!
So there she was sat at the table with the whole gang, when she turned to Michelle and passionately declared “HE’S ALIVE!!!” Not sure what people made of it – if anything! Some might not have known what she was on about. Others perhaps knew it was about Jesus and chose not to draw attention to it. Or maybe they all just found it really cute. Who knows? All I know is that my 22-month old little girl strolled into a pub one day and proclaimed the most important message of all time!
Jesus is alive!
This is literally the most crucial truth out there. Here’s why:
1. It proves that we can trust Jesus
Jesus made some huge claims and some massive promises, but none was more audacious than this one: “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” (Mark 9v31) If Jesus is dead – so are His promises and so is our faith. But Jesus isn’t dead, He’s alive and well and 100% trustworthy.
2. It takes the fear out of death
Fear of death is still the world’s number 1 fear. By conquering death, Jesus has showed that death doesn’t have the final word – He does! Those who believe in Him can confidently say: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1v21) Death holds no fear for those who believe that Jesus is alive.
3. It guarantees us eternal life
Jesus guaranteed a new-kind life to everyone who puts their faith in Him – life that is full (John 10v10) and eternal (John 3v16). This life is made real to us by the same power that bust Jesus out of the grave being unleashed inside us: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8v11).
Jesus is alive! It’s such great news!
Take it from a toddler who knows!!
Dai Hankey is a church-planting pastor in South Wales and the author of the The Hard Corps soon to be published by The Good Book Company.
Dai Hankey is a church-planting pastor in Cardiff, where he lives with his wife, Michelle, and four young children. He is founder of Red Community, a Christian charity that fights human trafficking in Wales. Dai is a former skateboarder and loves to DJ. He is the author of The Hard Corps, A Man's Greatest Challenge and the Eric Says… series.
