Praying like the kids

(and a little child shall lead them)

A while back our church held a worship event on a Friday night for the middle school and high school kids. There was music, teaching, fun and hanging out. It was all good…and our daughter had a great time. When I arrived for pick up, the event was still going on and I got to see one of the coolest things ever. The teacher for the evening was leading all the kids through an organized prayer time…small groups had formed up and the kids were praying en masse for the lost people of the world.

“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:17

The kids were following the directions of the leader…yet their enthusiasm was genuine. As believers themselves they desperately wanted their friends, their neighbors and yes, people all across the globe to have the chance to hear the good news about Jesus. Jesus himself knew that children often set a marvelous example of faith for all of us. Their faith is real, pure and uncluttered…too often ours is ragged, mixed up and lost in a sea of busyness.

Let’s learn from kids...the same way they help us relive swing sets and cotton candy and old cartoons. The joy they feel is the same joy we once felt. The newness of faith was that new for us as well. Our salvation is just as transformative today as it was then.

Thanks for all you do.

Brian

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Volume 6, Number 38

What does it spell?

(keep it simple)

Our youngest daughter Lilly is eager to learn to read so letters and their arrangement are quite fascinating to her. She will often ask, “what does _ _ _ _ spell?” Most of the time her random selection of letters doesn’t yield a word from the English language. As adults we know that making words isn’t quite that easy. You have to have vowels for example; and Q almost always needs a U. To make the jump from merely speaking to also reading and comprehending she needs the adults in her life to simply and plainly explain the language.

“It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space.”

1 Corinthians 13:9

Paul admonished the church in Corinth to stop being caught up in themselves, to stop behaving in a manner that created a separation in a bad way from the world around them. What about today? Does Christian jargon and vocabulary sound like a secret code to those who are eager to learn more? Mature believers have a duty to reach out to the seeker; to the younger and less experienced who desire the grace and fullness of Christ’s love. They have an obligation to teach in a plain language with love and patience.

Help them make the jump!

Thanks for all you do.

Brian

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Volume 6, Number 15

Baby Steps

(go baby go!)

Our youngest daughter has learned to walk. She’s a couple weeks past her first birthday and just loves to stand up in the middle of the room and take off. Yes, time flies and no, I can’t believe she is already this big. But, there she is, walking the length of the living room to present me with gifts; a toy broom and a toy mop. How proud she is! How proud I am too!

There is more to “walking” than just the process of moving across the floor. Deuteronomy 10:12 says, “what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord , to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul.” Now that is a real responsibility, helping someone to walk in “all of God’s ways”.

As parents, my wife and I need to see that we are just as diligent in teaching this spiritual walking as we were with the physical. And since everyone knows that actions speak louder than words, what do my actions say? The answer is likely not one that I relish hearing. But it’s never too late to start walking in God’s ways for the first time. It’s never too late to get back to walking in God’s ways if you’ve had your attention diverted. Start with baby steps. Bring the gift of yourself. How proud He will be!

Thanks for all you do

Brian

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