Child-like Faith.

Usually children make me a little uncomfortable. I suppose I just haven’t spent a substantial amount of time with any since I was one and that doesn’t count. Don’t get me wrong; I really love kids and think they have the most beautifully innocent outlook on the world, but sometimes I just don’t know how to act with them. It’s a bit catch 22. So when I signed up to volunteer with my home church’s Vacation Bible School in efforts to get plugged in there, I was a little nervous. More than that though, I was ecstatic to serve at and get involved in this fantastic church! See, as I began my pursuit of Christ in October 2010 it took me a while to be committed enough to wake up early on Sundays (at that point Sundays were still hangover days) and once I began going to church I mostly flip-flopped around with whomever I could catch a ride for the remainder of the spring semester. Then I was only home for a month before taking off to San Diego Summer Project, where we went to a lovely and welcoming church but couldn’t really get involved. After that I was home for another two weeks then left for Morgantown where I lived for 10 months holding a job and volunteering with Campus Crusade for Christ. I was part of a community group through the wonderful church I went to there, but had trouble actually serving at Crossroads because of my commitments to Cru and a lack of transportation. So basically, volunteering with VBS has been my first real experience serving within a church. Very exciting stuff.
 
Going into the first session last night, I wasn’t consciously thinking “I’m not going to learn anything from this”, but I certainly wasn’t thinking the opposite either. However, I’m learning just as much, if not more, from these kids as they’re learning at VBS. The Lord never ceases to amaze me with the vast array of His teaching strategies.
 

 
Before this week, I had never put much thought into “child-like faith”. I’m not sure why; just not something that had been put on my heart by the Lord since, like I said, I don’t spend a significant of time with any children. In only two short days though, God has quickly started revealing to me what it means to have child-like faith.
 
Along with three other volunteers—two adults and one teenager—I was placed as a group leader with the 3^rd and 4^th graders, who also happened to be the biggest group: 26 kids Monday and 23 yesterday. The biggest part of our duty is to walk with the kids from station to station, making sure no one gets lost and taking kids to the bathroom if they need it. I’ve also patched a few scrapes and helped one girl stop a nose bleed.  For the most part the kids are extremely well-behaved, but even so, to say that they’re a handful would be an understatement. Nevertheless, when you look past their hyperactivity and rambunctiousness they’re just the sweetest little people you’ll ever meet. They LOVE EVERYONE. Not only do they LOVE EVERYONE, they LOVE EVERYONE immediately. You don’t have to win the heart of a child. Monday as we left the opening meeting and were getting ready to go to our first station, I got in line with a little girl and she instantly grabbed my hand and began to chatter with me. Yesterday, one of the boys wanted to sit with or near me at every station and at every transition there was a different girl who wanted to walk with me and hold my hand. And not only do they LOVE EVERYONE immediately, they LOVE EVERYONE unconditionally. You can be stern with them one minute, and the next they’ll be right back to hugging you. I could go on and on about how precious they are, but I think you get the point.
 
What if we all loved the way the children do? Caring for EVERYONE immediately and unconditionally? That’s the way that God feels for each and every one of us. He’s loved us from the very beginning (Genesis 1:27) and loves us more than unconditionally (Romans 5:8 & 8:38-39). How would the world be different if everyone loved this way? These kids love the way that Christ loves and I think we could all take a lesson from them.
 
The whole theme of VBS at Gateway this year is to “Trust God!” and every day has a different statement. Monday it was “No matter who you are…Trust God!” (1 Samuel 16:7) and yesterday it was “No matter how you feel…Trust God!” (John 14:1). I don’t know about you, but I need reminding of these, especially the latter, the instant life throws me a curve ball. My initial reaction is usually to panic. But I can see and hear it in these kids that not only are they trusting God, they are EXCITED about trusting God and seeing Him at work! Make no mistake; I feel the same way. If you read my first blog you know that what kept me going back to the first Bible study I ever attended was to find out about God’s plan for me and He’s teaching me more everyday to trust that. I pray relentlessly to see the Lord at work in my day-to-day life. What I’m saying is even at the 3^rd and 4^th grade level these children are just so enthusiastic! Every time they’re asked what the point is for the day they all scream “No matter (insert point)…TRUST GOD!” as they thrust their arms up with their fingers pointed towards the sky. Throughout every lesson at the stations—Monday’s lessons focused on Matthew 8:5-13 when Jesus heals the Roman officer’s servant and yesterday’s lessons came from John 11:1-44 about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead—the children sit quietly, listening intently to each word from the teachers. Then when they’re asked questions they eagerly raise their hands to answer. Yesterday at one station the kids were asked how they had seen God working since the day before. Almost EVERY CHILD ANSWERED. They’re just all so excited to learn and talk about Jesus. It’s truly inspiring.
 
Who are the people who you need to love as a child loves? Or as Jesus loves? In what areas of your life do you have child-like faith? Where do you need it? Do you know someone asking questions about Jesus and need to “eagerly raise your hand” to answer them? Do you simply need to be reminded that no matter who you are and no matter how you feel…TRUST GOD?
 
Please be praying for these kids. Pray that their fire for Jesus doesn’t end tomorrow at the conclusion of VBS. Pray that they continue learning about the Lord and striving to know Him. Most of all pray that as they mature and grow older that they hold on to their child-like faith and that God be glorified throughout their whole lives.
 
Please also be praying for the kids that we will encounter along the Race. Most of them likely will not have had the opportunity to attend something like VBS and may not have ever even heard of Jesus. Pray that we may bring the name of the Lord to them so that they can be passionate about seeing Him at work as these wonderful 3^rd and 4^th graders have been. Pray that they may develop the faith that allows them salvation and that their lives be changed forever.
 
31 days until training camp and 79 days until we launch!