VBS 2010: What We Learned

This morning I got to see a pretty spectacular thing.

Sometimes that happens for all of us...we witness the miraculous.

In 1992, Sid Bream slid across home plate and the Braves beat the Pirates in the NLCS. That was a good night.

Sometimes a sunrise or sunset stops us in our tracks. At least a few times each summer, I will pick and eat the perfectly ripe, just picked, homegrown tomato. That always gets my attention.

The truth is, there are thousands of things that we encounter each day which, if we actually thought about them and paid attention, would simply blow us away.

Almost always, those things are simple and spontaneous.

Jesus needed to remind his disciples of this truth:

¹³Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

¹⁴Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." ¹⁵When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. -- Matthew 19

Jesus' disciples often needed to recalibrate. In this case, Jesus did that by teaching them about children.

"This is what the kingdom looks like."

I saw the kingdom today when a line of about 20 little children formed at our opening VBS worship rally.

They'd been invited to share what they've learned this week.

"I learned to forgive my friends when they hurt me."

"I learned that I should love people."

"I learned that God will never leave me."

"I learned to pray for people."

That's what the kingdom looks like.

It's Friday, and tons of SOTH volunteers have dirty houses...piles of laundry...kitchens that need cleaning...and lots of other delayed tasks that have gone undone while they've given their time and energy this week.

Great planning has taken place. Lots of work has been done...so that this spontaneous showing of the kingdom could unfold.

Thank you God --- and all of our volunteers --- and our children, for allowing me to see it.

VBS Celebration this Sunday at SOTH: 11 AM!

Grace & Peace,

Adam

Dear God, surround me as I speak,
the bridges that I walk across are weak
Frustrations fill the void that I can't solely bear
Dear God, don't let me fall apart,
you've held me close to you
I have turned away and searched for answers I can't understand

They say that I can move the mountains
And send them crashing into the sea
They say that I can walk on water
If I would follow and believe
with faith like a child

Sometimes, when I feel miles away
and my eyes can't see your face
I wonder if I've grown to lose the recklessness
I walked in light of you

[Little girl:]
"I've got joy like a fountain!"
"Be kind one to others"
"In Jesus Christ Your son"

They say that love can heal the broken
They say that hope can make you see
They say that faith can find a Savior
If you would follow and believe
with faith like a child