I Love My Class

Yesterday during Sunday School, I was teaching the youth about their relationships with God.  In the lesson I mentioned something that crosses over to the home also. First let me tell you, I have some of the best kids in the world in that class.  Their parents are just as great as the kids are.  Of course, there are a few who always want to be the class clown, but I expect that.  The things that come out of their mouths are jaw dropping most of the time because you can't believe that such revelation just came out of the same kids who were trying to burn napkins at your house.

Back to the class and what was said.  Some of them didn't know if they could hear the voice of God.  They know that His voice isn't something audible, but heard in the heart.  The part that crosses into the home is this:  there is a great difference between hearing and listening.  We hear things all around us and they are just sounds, voices, noises and other things.  But, when we listen - we comprehend, enjoy, and soak up what we hear around us.  Yes, Jesus said "My sheep hear my voice and know me"  We know Him because we not only hear Him, but we are listening to Him.  In our homes, we know the people who live there because we listen to one another, we understand each other, we love each other, we want to know one another.  So, how could we expect a God up in heaven to know us, if we don't spend any time with Him.  He is critical to our survival,not the other way around.  He isn't going anywhere - He always was and always will be -even when we are dead and gone.

So, what did I learn for myself.  I learned that my friend Adam is correct.  The first time I read his response to a previous post, I just heard what he said.  I went back and re-read what he said, and this time around I listened to what he said, and then it clicked.  Adam told me that like the cub scout motto: do your best - that is all you can do when raising your children.  I heard him and I listened.  He is right.  All we can do as parents is "our best"

I have a great spiritual love for the kids in my class.  I appreciate that they come ready to learn and to give input to the lesson.  Our class in interactive because I want to hear what's on their hearts and to gauge their growth in God.  I have one young lady who mentioned that she needed to know something about the movie "Letters To God" before we viewed it in class.  I love it that she asked.  If you've not seen the movie - I highly recommend it.  It's a heart wrenching film that will pull you in and make you take a good look at yourself.  My entire household was in tears by the time the movie was over.  They asked that we wait a few months before seeing it again.

Later in the afternoon, we went to Camp Thunderbird - on Lake Wylie for my wife's company picnic - great time out on the water.  We took a boat ride and my son and daughters saw the sun beams breaking through the clouds and they say those beams mean God's calling and waiting for you.  I never knew why my son would stand in the sun beams at home, but now I see that he wants to get close to God.  He will stand there and soak up the warmth of the sun because he believes God is calling him, and my son is intently listening for His voice.  Oh to have the innocence and faith of a child.