God’s Word is Surprising!

2 Days Down and 3 to Go!

     So far we've learned that God's Word is True and God's Word is comforting. We've been visited by Rhoda, who told us the miraculous story of Peter's escape from prison with the help of an angel and we've learned about Paul being a prisoner, shipwrecked on the island of Malta as he was traveling to Rome to be tried before Caesar. And we've learned that it wasn't easy to share a message of hope and  love through God's son, Jesus back in the early days of Christianity. It was downright DANGEROUS! Thankfully, we live at a time when its safe and easy to share God with others, and yet only 20% of our community attends church. 

     Christianity grew rapidly, in spite of many dangers and difficulties, in those early years. Obstacles to sharing the gospel were beyond anything we can imagine. To travel from one town to another, you walked, rode an animal or went by boat (which was NOT motorized). If you wanted to send a message, it was mostly done verbally by a servant, a trusted friend who would be traveling where you wanted your message to go, or through a merchant caravan or shipping vessel. The concept of Instant Messaging was ludicrous. It wasn’t easy to procure writing paraphernalia, and if you did, most people were illiterate.

     We live, today, in the ‘Information Age.’ Technology is how we thrive. Our children have televisions with hundreds of channels to watch. They have mp3s to carry their favorite music wherever they go and cell phones to communicate instantly whatever they wish to communicate…anytime, everywhere. We have home computers, laptops and tablets that can show us the world (literally) and help us shop for that latest and greatest new gadget. Many even use electronic reading devices; with these, there’s no need for a lamp. The world is at our fingertips.

     We hosted 16 children our first night of VBS and 25 the next. We still have 3 days to go, but I suspect we will continue to grow: in numbers, in faith, and in love for one another, because we  have an outstanding group of individuals all working together to share the love of God with all who walk through our doors. And the kids that have shared in the fun thus far are learning that it really isn’t that hard to share Jesus with others. You just have to learn how to be excited about it.

We truly are, ‘Welcoming All God’s People.’ I hope that excites you as much as it does me.

Blessings,
Tracy