I am a Sunday School Shepherd for the 3rd graders at Calvary. That means I herd them around and try to watch and keep them out of trouble. Not always an easy task I must admit. At the beginning of each "unit" I teach the class and today was the day to introduce the story of the prodigal son. I wasn't worried about the story, but when I discovered we would be in the "drama" classroom, I was not very optimistic about the outcome. The drama room isn't your average class room. There are no table and chairs, there's a stage with a curtain and carpet for the kids to sit on. And there are all sorts of interesting props and costumes to fuel active minds and imaginations. So I carefully planned what I hoped would keep their attention long enough for me to get the message across. And, much to my amazement, it worked! Let me just say that no CEO who just had a successful and inspiring executive board meeting could have been anymore stoked than I was at having not only kept the atttention of six 8-yr-olds, but also had them actively engaged for over thirty minutes. Thank you Lord, for your Word, and thank you Holy Spirit for your inspiration.
I wish I could claim to be as attentive as my 8-yr olds at this morning's 11:00 service. Pr. Phil tied all the day's scripture readings together. He connected each of the temptations Christ overcame as told in Luke 4:1-13, one each, to the other three texts: Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Psalm 91, and Romans 10:5-15. I have to admit it was all sort of bouncing off of me a bit until he got to the Psalm. Not that the lesson was not a good one, it was. But I have had a few prayer requests this week that have been weighing heavy on my heart. So, when Pr. Phil began talking about suffering, it got my attention. Psalm 91 is all about the terrible things that we might face in life, but the Psalmist reminds us that God will bear us through whatever afflicts us. He will always be with us, and if we are faithful his love will sustain us. All of this sounded good, even comforting. But as I sat and wondered if I could carry a message from this to those facing tragic circumstances right now, I wasn't sure. Then I heard Phil say, "Remember you're not Jesus."
I've always been able to depend on Christ to lead me through the tough times in my life, and I think I'm pretty strong in my faith. But I have never had to face that searing despair that comes with losing a spouse or a child. Something that, like a arrow coming out of nowhere, slams into your life and rips your world to pieces. That heart-stopping feeling when the doctor say there's just nothing more we can do and you have to accept that life as you know it, the future you had planned, has slipped through your fingers despite all your prayers and pleading with God. That's when I looked into my heart and knew that I was as weak as anyone could ever be. No, I will never forget that I am not Jesus. Thank God I am not Jesus. Thank God that he is. Thank God that he knows our worst pain and despair. Thank God for his amazing grace and his promise to raise us up on eagle's wings, bear us on the breath of dawn, make us to shine like the sun, and hold us in the palm of his hand. Because we're not Jesus, but he has claimed us and we belong to him, and that is enough.
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