I love hearing my 2 and 3 year old Bible class students talk about their parents and grandparents. At that age, we are still the good guys. They still like us. During class time, I often hear surprising and amusing stories about what goes on in the children's homes. Over the years I have learned to listen, but to hear their stories with a pretty big grain of salt.
A couple of weeks ago, I was using a flip chart that I often use during class. Pictures of young children are engaged in different activities. I use the flip chart to explain that no matter where we are or what we are doing, God knows and cares about us. He knows when we are swinging or watching TV. He knows when we are hurt. He knows when we come to Bible class. In other words, God loves us and is there with us all the time.
As I said, it was not the first time the children had seen this flip chart. Yet, tonight it prompted what I thought was a very important conversation between me and one of the little boys in my class. I can only paraphrase, for there would be no way that I can remember everything word for word. We were finished with the flip chart, but the dialogue that ensued went something like this:
My young student asked: "Well, does God know when there are monsters in my room?" Now what a challenge. I was not sure if this child really believed there were monsters in his room or if he was just trying to think of the most outrageous thing he could to see what I would say.
I just replied, "Yes, IF there were monsters in your room, God would know about them and He (God) would chase them away."
I thought the conversation was over, but I was wrong. My little friend proceeded to ask if God would know if there was a tiger in his room. I was pretty sure that he had not really imagined a tiger in his room. This particular child has a very vivid imagination. He recently told me that he and his family were going on vacation to the moon. He said this with all sincerity and complete genuineness. I just never quite know when to take him seriously.
A teacher should be very careful what she says to her students. We have so much responsibility and we must take this seriously. Young students are very precious. They are so impressionable. I didn't want to discourage this child's imagination. I also knew although he was dreaming up some very unlikely scenarios there was a much deeper question at stake. He wanted to know if I was telling the truth. He wanted to know that no matter what, God would still be there. That was the ultimate question. It was important for him to understand the Heavenly Father is always
with us.
So I played along with his question. "Yes, God would know even if there was a tiger in your room."
"What would He do then?" was my student's next question.
"Well maybe," I said, "God would do with the tiger exactly what He did to the lions when Daniel was thrown into their den.
Maybe He would shut the mouth of the tiger so that it would not hurt you."
The next question came, "Would Jesus know, too?"
"Yes, Jesus would know too."
"What would He do about it, then?"
"He would help God with the tiger."
My little friend was very surprised, "He would?"
"God and Jesus are a team. They would work together on
that tiger."
"Really?"
"Yes, Jesus is God's son and they always work as a team to
to help us in our lives."
He seemed very surprised at this and said, "Well! I
did not know that."
I very much enjoyed this conversation. I was amused at the wonder in his voice when I told him that Jesus and was God's Son and they worked as team. I knew he had been told this often; but this night -- this night, it was clicking with him on an entirely new level. What a beautiful sight to see the look of realization in his eyes! He made the connection that God was Father and Jesus was the Son.
I asked him if he ever helped his daddy do anything -- if they had ever been a team. This immediately prompted a story about him helping his dad work outside cleaning the yard. You see, he was relating his good relationship between himself and his father to the relationship that God and Jesus must have with one another. That realization is so very important because it will help him understand (now or later) the precious relationship that God also wants to have with us. It will help him know that God does love him -- and He really is with us no matter where we are or what we are doing. Yes, it was rewarding night for this teacher!
Now have you ever considered the "team" aspect of the God, Christ and the Holy Spirit? They are the perfect team working together to bring salvation to mankind. God is our Father who loves and cares for us. We are His children and He wants nothing more than for us to want to be with Him. Jesus is our Savior. His precious and innocent, righteous and holy blood was shed to save us from our sins. No other sacrifice would do. It took His perfect blood to atone for our sins. He did this willingly - with perfect love. The Holy Spirit is God's own Spirit -- sent to us to comfort us and to teach the apostles the perfect will of God. His Spirit abides in us as we learn more and more about the Father and Son.
God is the perfect Father. Jesus is the perfect Savior. The Holy Spirit is our perfect teacher and Comforter. Together they make the perfect team -- to bring imperfect people to live in Heaven with them. IF -- we love the Father, obey the Son and allow the Spirit's teaching and the fruits of His words to rule our lives. We must study to learn and we must love to obey. We must obey to obtain a place on their team - the perfect team.
My young friend is just beginning to learn; but I would say he is off to a good start.
Thank you, so much Father for your love and for the perfect team joined together in unity to save us and bring us home to you!
Christ above all things,
Robin
No comments:
Post a Comment