In This Place
First he stole his brother's birthright, then he stole his blessing. His brother wanted him dead, his mother wanted him to flee. So he left home as a young boy to go and live with his mother's family. It was a long journey, and he was all alone, so I bet he had some time to think. Did he realize how terrible he had been to his brother? Did he feel guilty? Did he wish he could turn back and do it all over again? What was he thinking about as he placed his head on a rock to fall asleep alone in the middle of a wilderness?
As I told the story of Jacob, their little eyes were all fixed on me. They were still and quiet, which is quite honestly unusual for these guys. Normally we have a hard time getting all of the children kids club to behave and not cause distractions for the others, but not today. They were hooked, either because they were tired from the games and the heat, or because the Holy Spirit was touching their hearts to listen. Either way, there was an important lesson that I was excited to share.
"In the middle of the night, God appeared to Jacob in a dream," I explained as I held up an image and told them about the ladder with the angels ascending and descending. "God told him that he would be with him wherever he goes." The children continued to follow the story. "When he woke up, he was no longer discouraged. He said, 'Surely the Lord is in this place and I was unaware of it!'"
That became the memory verse of the week, Genesis 28:16b, "Surely the Lord is in this place." The kids practiced it until perfect.
They learned that God speaks to his children, especially when we are quiet and silent before him. They were encouraged to find a spot where they can sit and read God's word every day. It's what I grew up calling "quiet time". They call it "personal worship". I think I like that better anyway.
"Where can you find a quiet place to have your personal worship every day?" I asked.
"Under a tree."
"In my bedroom."
"On a bench on my front porch."
I loved each and every one of their sweet, simple answers. "God is with you wherever you go, just like he told Jacob," I added. If Jacob could hear from God with his head on a rock in the middle of the wilderness, it's the least we can do to create a quiet moment to hear from him.
We also talked about the importance of eating breakfast and how our hearts need daily spiritual food, too. Charlotte taught them a great song where she first sings, "What is your food?" And all the children sing a response, "The Word of God is my food." Then she sings, "Who is your conductor?" And they reply, "The Holy Spirit is my conductor."
I love that, too. The Holy Spirit drives and conducts us to understand the word of God, which is our daily spiritual bread.
I kept thinking about this story long after I finished teaching it at kid's club. I kept repeating the memory verse, "Surely the Lord is in this place."
When I am on the run and my head is on a rock, can I say the same thing? This place, this hard place; surely God is here.
Then I pondered the second part of the verse that the children didn't have to memorize. "...and I was not aware of it." May that never be said of us! May we always be aware of the presence of God, even in the hard places.
But to be aware, we have to be silent, and to be silent, we have to give God a chance to speak by opening up his word and having our own personal worship daily...just like a spiritual breakfast. It's a simple lesson given to children, and for some unexplainable reason, they were extra attentive that day. May God find us just as attentive.
Personal quiet time, or personal worship, is the single thing that has changed my spiritual walk more than anything else. I'm pretty passionate about it actually. What a divine opportunity and great joy God has given me to share this same truth with children. May we all hear it and take it to heart.
Surely God is in this place, and let us be very aware of it.
As I told the story of Jacob, their little eyes were all fixed on me. They were still and quiet, which is quite honestly unusual for these guys. Normally we have a hard time getting all of the children kids club to behave and not cause distractions for the others, but not today. They were hooked, either because they were tired from the games and the heat, or because the Holy Spirit was touching their hearts to listen. Either way, there was an important lesson that I was excited to share.
"In the middle of the night, God appeared to Jacob in a dream," I explained as I held up an image and told them about the ladder with the angels ascending and descending. "God told him that he would be with him wherever he goes." The children continued to follow the story. "When he woke up, he was no longer discouraged. He said, 'Surely the Lord is in this place and I was unaware of it!'"
That became the memory verse of the week, Genesis 28:16b, "Surely the Lord is in this place." The kids practiced it until perfect.
They learned that God speaks to his children, especially when we are quiet and silent before him. They were encouraged to find a spot where they can sit and read God's word every day. It's what I grew up calling "quiet time". They call it "personal worship". I think I like that better anyway.
"Where can you find a quiet place to have your personal worship every day?" I asked.
"Under a tree."
"In my bedroom."
"On a bench on my front porch."
I loved each and every one of their sweet, simple answers. "God is with you wherever you go, just like he told Jacob," I added. If Jacob could hear from God with his head on a rock in the middle of the wilderness, it's the least we can do to create a quiet moment to hear from him.
We also talked about the importance of eating breakfast and how our hearts need daily spiritual food, too. Charlotte taught them a great song where she first sings, "What is your food?" And all the children sing a response, "The Word of God is my food." Then she sings, "Who is your conductor?" And they reply, "The Holy Spirit is my conductor."
I love that, too. The Holy Spirit drives and conducts us to understand the word of God, which is our daily spiritual bread.
I kept thinking about this story long after I finished teaching it at kid's club. I kept repeating the memory verse, "Surely the Lord is in this place."
When I am on the run and my head is on a rock, can I say the same thing? This place, this hard place; surely God is here.
Then I pondered the second part of the verse that the children didn't have to memorize. "...and I was not aware of it." May that never be said of us! May we always be aware of the presence of God, even in the hard places.
But to be aware, we have to be silent, and to be silent, we have to give God a chance to speak by opening up his word and having our own personal worship daily...just like a spiritual breakfast. It's a simple lesson given to children, and for some unexplainable reason, they were extra attentive that day. May God find us just as attentive.
Personal quiet time, or personal worship, is the single thing that has changed my spiritual walk more than anything else. I'm pretty passionate about it actually. What a divine opportunity and great joy God has given me to share this same truth with children. May we all hear it and take it to heart.
Surely God is in this place, and let us be very aware of it.
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