A Very Serious and Important Story...
I missed it, but the story is going all around the staff...Lori has been telling it...so, here goes...
I guess my girls have been rehearsing the crucifixion scene. They've heard it so many times, I probably shouldn't be surprised. Rachel very seriously and carefully tells Elie about Jesus' death for our sins.
And they...act it out.
Now, I don't know if I'm the proudest dad in Warren, or the most horrified...
Rachel laid Elie on the floor, stretched her arms out and pretended (with Elie's toy hammer) to nail her hands to the imaginary cross. They were very reverent and, actually, I guess Rachel did a pretty good job in explaining it.
So, the other day, Lori is doing dishes and Elie comes out into the kitchen and lays down on the floor and spreads her arms and says, "Nail me down, Mommy! Nail my hands and my feet."
"Now, honey, that's a very serious and important story..."
"I know it is, Mommy. Jesus died for our sins. He was nailed down for our sins. Like this. Nail my hands, Mommy."
And I still think that I have wierd kids - but they're...well, I've already said it - the best kids in the world.
But here's the thing. They're telling the story.
Somewhere between age 4 and 14 it gets too wierd to tell the story - to talk about God and Jesus in real terms. To really talk about what God is doing in your life - to tell the Gospel story and not just a bunch of feel good, bumper sticker, checklist moral good stuff - but to really talk about Jesus and his impact on your life and the world.
My kids will still do it - I don't know how much longer - but they still will. And I love it. And I'm inspired by it - because somewhere between then and now I also stopped really telling the story. I mean, REALLY telling it. Oh, yeah, I can preach it. But do I talk about what God is doing right now - I mean tonight - in my life? Yeah, not so much...
And so I wonder when and how we kill that in our kids. Maybe that's part of what Jesus meant by becoming like a child again. And even part of what he meant by not putting a stumbling block before the little ones - maybe we make them stumble a few times and then they learn that if they just won't be open and excited about their faith, well then we won't make them feel...stupid...wierd...uncomfortable...laughed at... I'm getting fitted for a millstone right now, I'm afraid.
When do we crush the spark?
WHY do we?
I want to go to church this Sunday, lay down on the floor and say, "Nail my hands down..." I want a faith like that...like a child...
Here's one of my favorite Jars of Clay songs - 'cause it's my little girls...
I guess my girls have been rehearsing the crucifixion scene. They've heard it so many times, I probably shouldn't be surprised. Rachel very seriously and carefully tells Elie about Jesus' death for our sins.
And they...act it out.
Now, I don't know if I'm the proudest dad in Warren, or the most horrified...
Rachel laid Elie on the floor, stretched her arms out and pretended (with Elie's toy hammer) to nail her hands to the imaginary cross. They were very reverent and, actually, I guess Rachel did a pretty good job in explaining it.
So, the other day, Lori is doing dishes and Elie comes out into the kitchen and lays down on the floor and spreads her arms and says, "Nail me down, Mommy! Nail my hands and my feet."
"Now, honey, that's a very serious and important story..."
"I know it is, Mommy. Jesus died for our sins. He was nailed down for our sins. Like this. Nail my hands, Mommy."
And I still think that I have wierd kids - but they're...well, I've already said it - the best kids in the world.
But here's the thing. They're telling the story.
Somewhere between age 4 and 14 it gets too wierd to tell the story - to talk about God and Jesus in real terms. To really talk about what God is doing in your life - to tell the Gospel story and not just a bunch of feel good, bumper sticker, checklist moral good stuff - but to really talk about Jesus and his impact on your life and the world.
My kids will still do it - I don't know how much longer - but they still will. And I love it. And I'm inspired by it - because somewhere between then and now I also stopped really telling the story. I mean, REALLY telling it. Oh, yeah, I can preach it. But do I talk about what God is doing right now - I mean tonight - in my life? Yeah, not so much...
And so I wonder when and how we kill that in our kids. Maybe that's part of what Jesus meant by becoming like a child again. And even part of what he meant by not putting a stumbling block before the little ones - maybe we make them stumble a few times and then they learn that if they just won't be open and excited about their faith, well then we won't make them feel...stupid...wierd...uncomfortable...laughed at... I'm getting fitted for a millstone right now, I'm afraid.
When do we crush the spark?
WHY do we?
I want to go to church this Sunday, lay down on the floor and say, "Nail my hands down..." I want a faith like that...like a child...
Here's one of my favorite Jars of Clay songs - 'cause it's my little girls...
Love Song for a Savior
in open fields of wild flowers
she breathes the air and flies away
she thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses
in no simple language
someday she'll understand the meaning of it all
He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
as close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
someday He'll call her and she will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
sitting silent wearing sunday best
the sermon echoes through the walls
a great salvation through it calls to the people
who stare into nowhere, and can't feel the chains on their souls
He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
as close a heartbeat or a song on our lips
someday we'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
someday He'll call us and we will come running
and fall in his arms and the tears will fall down and we'll pray
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
it seems too easy to call You "Savior"
not close enough to call You "God"
so as i sit and think of words i can mention
to show my devotion
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
i want to fall in love with You
my heart beats for You
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