Sunday, April 29, 2012

It only takes a teachable moment

        Moments are all we have, everything else is just routine. Serving in a church preschool is much more about who you are, than what you say. The kids have already been trained to answer Jesus or God to every question. Knowing about, is a far different situation than belonging.

        Today we witnessed a moment hearing. When a child asks a question they are looking for an answer. Today’s lesson was about Christ’s having gone to prepare a place for His disciples. The children were all gathered in one class to hear what the leaders had to say. Midway through the lesson a boy in the center of the room asks a question. I am paraphrasing here but this is what he said, “Will those who follow allah go to heaven?”

        There are well over 20 of our dear children sitting on the floor silently awaiting the answer. The answer they heard was from the Word of God.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments.

(John 14:3-15)

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

(Acts 4:10-12)

        I experience this at church maybe once every six months. The privilege of seeing the precious Truth shine directly into the hearts and minds of the greatest among us. I long for it to happen all the time but that is not how it works in a nation so blinded by plenty. The spiritual is obscured by the abundance of our material, but today those who had ears to hear were changed forever. God is the all in all.