Sunday, January 18, 2009

Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me- Isaiah 8:18

At church last Sunday the 11 we had a wonderful time of worship, message and fellowship. When we got home we made dinner and after the meal Paul wanted to share with the children some things he felt during the service. We were sharing some of the message and asked what the kids had learned at church today. We had a wonderful time of sharing and the Lord's presence was with us in a very real way. Since I learn best and remember things by object lessons that is how we taught about having a heart to serve for the Lord. We closed our hands in a fist and shared that is the size and shape of our hearts... and a heart looks like your tongue (sort of) it is a muscle and is pliable and able to push the blood thru our bodies.... We talked about where does the Lord live and all ... they knew he is suppose to live in us in our hearts. Then we got a rock and talked about what happens if you begin to sin or struggle in your faith... and make wrong choices... little by little your hearts will turn to stone. There was lots of sharing and when I looked at the faces of all the precious children the Lord has given Paul and I.... there were several that had tears pouring down their faces. Isaac one of our younger ones and Rachel one of the new girls were especially moved that day.

In our adult Bible class on Sunday am we have been studying the feasts and Leviticus -especially chapter 23. There has been lots of discussion about the sabbath and it being a day or rest....rest really meaning worship and coming closer to the Lord. I thought of something that I really feel is true for me..... It is not so much that I need lots of physical rest... I need more holy time of the Lord's presence... time when I get rejuvinated and refreshed to go on and do more .... That Sunday time doing devotions was just that for me... Our lives are intense.... as I shared we go and never hardly stop with so many children... I often get asked how do we do it .... and it really is a worship and effort that is easy especially when we have drawn close to the Lord and gain His strength and His ability to do what He calls us to do.... When we go to the beach for a "vacation" a time of "rest" it is sometimes not that. The effort to get 22 people ready, driving to the beach, even though we don't do much ( cost to much to eat out or play things like putt putt). ... No one complains though we enjoy the time it is not the same "rest" that we got that Sunday.... I think that is the ultimate rest that the Lord calls us too on a Sabbath... not necessarily a Sunday either... we should be seeking to be closer to the Lord and to want to feel His presence every day of the week.... The energy and ability to live my life came more thru our devotions after dinner than it does when I take a "nap" or "rest".

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