This entry is from a mini-Methodist volunteer's blog. I thought you might like it...
Sowing seeds can be dirty business... especially when the ground being worked is twenty sixth graders in an after school children's ministry...
Rowdy... loud... energetic... tired from a day of school ... a challenge to plant a Word in a heart... a true scattering takes place... who knows where it lands...
Wednesday's lesson... Abraham's call to sacrifice his son Isaac... return him to God on an altar of fire...
The challenge for the class... think of one thing you would not want to give up... draw it or write it on a piece of paper... now... consider... if God asked you to give that thing up... would you? ...and why...?
After a very short prayer... if they were willing to sacrifice to God... they were to place their paper in a basket... one I held in my hand by the door... as they left the class...
Surprisingly... many cavalierly dropped their one thing in the basket... others held the paper tight as they passed by.. but one... he stopped outside the door... his paper still in hand... I didn't even notice... until he asked...
Is it a good thing to put it in?
He saw many... drop their treasure in the basket... his peers... sacrificing... readily... he wanted to do what was good...
It's a good thing if you can... I said... but the most important thing is to be honest with God... if you can't then you should talk to Him about it...
He considered... came near and dropped it in the basket... and said... That's hard...
Then I saw it... his one thing... drawn as stick figures with the word... family...
That is hard... I agreed... Do you want to take it back...?
More thought... and yes... he did take it back... I'll have to pray about it...
Wow... a holy moment... he got it... it is hard to sacrifice... even the piece of paper with his family drawn in graphite... was hard to let go... he wanted to do what was good... but it was hard...
This is why... I sow seeds... scattering in rough terrain... the opportunity to plant Truth in a place it has never been... to see the roots of wrestling take hold... to see the beginnings of what God will do... with His Word... thrown about... as best I can... by faith...
"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return to it without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields
seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." ---the Lord
and do not return to it without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields
seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." ---the Lord
Isaiah 55:10-11
My friend Carol she writes daily at jeremiahsmenu.blogspot.com
