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One of the greatest things in the world is to watch your little girl sing praises to God.  That’s what I’ve gotten to do all week at our Vacation Bible School (VBS).  In our VBS, “Jerusalem Market Place”, the focus was on the last week of Jesus’ life.  The children pretend they are alive in Jesus’ day.  They even dress in costumes that fit the time period.  We talked about Jesus as King, His love, the garden arrest and His death and resurrection.  On the night I told Emma’s class about Jesus death she kept asking me “is Jesus dead”?  We were supposed to build suspense until the next night- but the answer was clear- no, Jesus is not dead, though He was dead.  I don’t think the reality of His death was ever so strong.  For my little girl it was as if Jesus was dead and she was very confused because mom and dad have always told her about Jesus as if He were alive. I have never had the reality of those three days made so powerful; what it must have been like to be a disciple and have to utter the words “Jesus is dead”.  I told Emma Jesus is alive now but He was dead.  She was and still is quite concerned about Jesus’ death.  Just to show one more example of Christianity through a three year olds eyes after it was all over last night I asked what she learned this week.  She told me that Jesus’ died to take away her sins.  Wow!  I thought that was incredible.  I told her how proud I was of her.  Then she paused and said something I wouldn’t have expected in a million years- “That wasn’t very nice”.  It took me a second but I realized anytime she takes something away from someone or someone else takes something from someone else it’s always bad.  Jesus had taken her sins and that was clearly not nice.   I explained that sin is very bad (like bugs) so Jesus taking it away was a great thing (don’t worry I explained more than the bugs thing…).  She thought for a moment then decided she agreed and begin to sip on her strawberry milkshake. 

Since the beginning of time children have sung songs to our Creator.  Nothing thrills the Heart of God any more than a child calling out in simple faith to their true Father.  Jesus warns anyone who would lead a little one astray that there are dire consequences.  On the other hand, we know that those who play a role in leading a little one to their Father will receive great blessings.  There are few areas as important today in our churches than those that teach children to know and love God.  It’s a joy as a pastor to watch the whole church come together and serve God by serving children especially when one of the children is yours.  To everyone who worked so hard this week and in the months leading up to this week- thank you and God bless.  To all those who give so we can have an outstanding children’s leader (Amber) and department- thank you.  Most of all thank you Father for entrusting us with these children and Kelly and me with Emma Grace and thank you for the blessing of serving You and Your Kingdom!

I couldn’t sleep and so I was getting a little reading done when something triggered this in my mind…

Every asked the question why?  If you ask Emma Grace “why did you do that”, she will often reply, “Because I did.” I love it; none of this philosophical mumbo jumbo, no excuses to hide her motives, just a three year old who steps back with authority and takes credit for her action.  Notice she takes credit.  Now, parents we rarely ever ask why our children did something when they are behaving.  I.e. we never ask why did you paint that beautiful picture on the proper piece of paper?  However, we do ask “why did you scribble on the wall”.  To that Emma Grace says “because I did”.  (Realize this is cutter depending on my mood and the cost of what has just been destroyed).  I think God often does the same.  He never skirts responsibility.  He never says I just wasn’t able to get there on time or I got stuck in traffic.  Instead, when we ask Him why, He often seems to say “because I did.”

As I read the Scriptures I feel like God often speaks more clearly than I can bear at times.  In fact, the more I read the word and meditate and dwell on the words of God the more I am amazed at what our Creator has taken the time over thousands of years to reveal to us.  He is an awesome God.  Yet, we often ask specific why questions and in those cases God seems to reply, “Because I did.”  Now this is not a callous, careless response but a response that says without the answer to why, will you still trust me.  Will you believe in my character with or without seeing all the whys?  God says that His words and His grace are sufficient.  That means they are not just adequate but completely adequate to meet all our needs. 

Why doesn’t God answer all our whys; because He doesn’t, not because He doesn’t love us and not because He doesn’t care.  Maybe one other way of getting at it is to say He has answered every question in His word that we will ever need to know.  We can guess at the “how is this ultimately good” till were exhausted but in the end we will have to either trust He is good or rebel and determine because we can’t find the answer He must not be good.

When we are faced with why questions I believe we should stop and ask who.  Who is God?  What do I know of Him?  Can I trust him?  Is He faithful?  Is He powerful?  Is He in control?  In the Bible’s answer to these questions the whys begin to fade and faith begins to form.  We stop trying to understand our circumstances and we begin to understand our God.  As we see Him we are able to make sense of how to deal with the why moments in our lives and move beyond them to Him.

Pastor Eddie

Romans 12:3-8 is all about the Body of Christ.  It’s about every person in the church using their gifts.  It means we all have responsibility to use those gifts for the good of those around us.  When I think of all the benefits of being a part of the Body of Christ none is more important than prayer.   One of the greatest examples of this in our church is Larry Hatcher.  He is more than missed form the day to day life of the church.  Even in his sickness we are learning from him.  I miss seeing Allyson and Larry on the third pew back.  They were always there as I preached and I could look in their eyes and be encouraged without even a word.  Larry is a part of the Body of Christ and as I write this there are members of the Body from all over the world, like our friend A.J. in India, who are interceding between God and man on Larry’s behalf. 

My hope is that we will all take seriously the responsibility we have to beg God for Larry’s life- his full life.  I hope we will all sacrifice our time and our comfort (fasting) to come before the Father and ask for what only He can do.   We are asking that God would heal the brain damage that has occurred.  We ask that God will not only wake him but also restore his physical and mental capacities.  We are the Body of Christ and every one of us has a responsibility to serve Larry in passionate and fervent prayer.  We have a responsibility to lift Allyson, Lane, Len and Heather.  We have the joy of talking to a dad who loves us and we eagerly wait to see what He will do.

Pastor Eddie