Children's Moment

I will get back to my prayers of the past, but first I wanted to share this.  This Sunday, I am honored to be liturgist at my church again, plus I am doing the Children's Moment. The sermon is on Relying on the Everlasting God.  I have written a very short story that I am going to tell the children on Sunday and just want to share it with everyone tonight.

One afternoon after school, Annabeth’s mother notices she is unusually quiet, as she loves to talk about what happened at school.  Annabeth’s mom asks her, “Honey, are you feeling okay?  You’re not talking much.”

Annabeth looks at her mom.  “Mom, you know how Mrs. Andrews’ dad died, so she hasn’t been at school lately?”

Mrs. Bell’s eyes soften, “Yes, I know.  It’s a very sad time for her.”

“Well, Maddie was telling us at lunch that Mrs. Andrew’s still has a father.  That God is everyone’s father.  Jenny kept arguing with Maddie saying no, God is only Jesus’ father.”

Mrs. Bell can tell Annabeth is trying to process the idea of God being everyone’s father, so she thinks for a moment, slowly gets up from the kitchen table, walks to her bedroom and brings out The Bible she keeps by her bed.

“Annabeth, this is The Bible my grandfather gave me on the day we buried my dad.  I wasn’t much older than you are now.  It was one of the saddest and most joyful days of my life.  I was so sad that my dad was gone, and I would never get to be held by him, or loved by him, or talk to him again.  But on that day, after everyone had gone home, and it was just me, my mom, and my dad’s parents left in our house, Granddad changed my life forever.  He came into my room and sat down on the bed where I was crying.  He had the most peaceful look in his eyes, almost joyful.  I couldn’t believe it.  I asked him if he wasn’t sad about his son dying.  His eyes teared up and he said, of course!  But I am trusting my Father to take care of him and those he left behind, like you and your mom. 

I just looked at him.  ‘Your father?  How can Great-granddad Howard take care of us?  He’s in heaven with dad.’

Granddad looked at me, with that peaceful look again, and said, ‘Katie, I am talking about God, our Father in heaven. He will take care of Jimmy, in heaven and you and the rest of us here on earth.’  Granddad could tell I had no idea what he was talking about.  He opened the Bible and turned to Genesis 1:27:

“So God created human beings in his own image.
             in the image of God he created them;
             male and female he created them.”

 He read from Ephesians 4:6:

                “One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Then Granddad turned to Isaiah 9:6 and read:

                “For a child is born to us,
                                A son is given to us.
                The government will rest on his shoulders.
                                and he will be called:
                Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
                                Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Granddad laid his Bible on the bed beside me, gave me a hug, whispered “Katie-Bear, I love you and so does your daddy and so does God your Father,” and left the room.  When I picked up the Bible and opened up the cover, I saw a note had been written to me from my dad.  It said: Katie-Bear, I told Granddad to give this to you after my funeral.  I know you are going to be sad and hurt, but please, Katie-Bear, remember the verses, he read to you.  I love you so much and will miss you terribly, as I know you love me and will miss me!  But God will be with you ALWAYS!  HE will NEVER leave you!  When you are sad, frustrated, happy, excited, or angry, your Everlasting Father will be there to comfort you or to celebrate with you!  Tell him your worries, your dreams and your prayers.  Listen to him, let him take away those worries, fulfill your dreams, and answer your prayers!  As much as I love you, Katie-Bear, I could not ever love you as much as God, the Everlasting Father loves you!  He loves all of us beyond anything we can imagine.  Love Daddy

Annabeth looks at her mom and can almost imagine what her mom saw that day in Granddad’s eyes, because her mother has that same peaceful, joyful look in her eyes, even with tears of sorrow for her dad streaming down her face.

Will you pray with me?

Everlasting Father, you love us more than we can imagine.  Before you even made the sun and moon, You knew each of our names, You had our lives laid out.  Help us to remember, Father, that your love is everlasting, and no matter what is going on, or how we act, good or bad, you will love us.  Remind us, Father to lay our worries, dreams and prayers at the foot of the cross, be still, listen to You, and to trust you in everything we do, say and need.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.