VBS starts today...Joshua 3 and 4....The River Stood Still is the Bible story for the day. The verse is this one from Jeremiah:
‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.
I LOVE VBS because when you study the lessons you are forced to see them through the eyes of the children whom you will teach. Here is what I saw...my God is big...my God is powerful. My God does MIGHTY AND AWESOME things....AND HE HAS POWER OVER ALL. MY JOB: TO TRUST HIM.
Chapters 3 and 4 of the book of Joshua were some convicting chapters of Scripture for me. What a reminder of God's sovereign care and love for His people. What a reminder to me who, like the Israelites, often needs memorial stones to remember the wonderful things God has done and still does in my life. God wants us to set up these memorials. He wants us to rejoice in Him always. He wants us to do this not just for us either...but for the generation that will come after us.
He desires us to talk to our children about the marvelous things He has done in our lives. He wants us to show them how the Lord blessed the teeny tiny steps of faith we took....He wants them also to know that when we took these teeny tiny steps of faith and got our feet wet in the waters of the Jordan...THE WATERS DID NOT overflow us AND that throughout it all OUR GOD WAS WITH US. He wants them to know that it was not anything we did, but it was the Lord our God who did it all. He was the One who performed all things for us and made all that concerned us perfect.
The Lord was with Joshua and He is with us. The Lord exalted Him in the sight of all in Israel and when we obey Him and wait on Him as Joshua did, He lifts us up. I love that as their leader Joshua spoke words of faith to the people God had placed in his charge. Read them now:
And Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."--Joshua 4:5
Wow...what a great thing for your kids to go to bed hearing. Take a shower, brush your teeth ...tomorrow the Lord is going to do wonders among us. Be ready for it...look for it!
Too often my kids hear me grumble and complain. Too often they hear a lack of thankfulness in both my words and my attitude. How much better if I magnified my Lord. How much better if my words and my actions matched always with what I claim to believe. The faith of all those around me would be strengthened. God wants lives committed completely and utterly to Him...He desires living sacrifices that glorify Him in both word and deed. He wants us to dwell on those things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report...He wants us to meditate on the praiseworthy.
As a believer, I can thank God in all things. In trials I can remember that He works all together for good and that His goodness and mercy follow me wherever He leads. In good times I can remember that also. I can sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to those around me always, because my past has been forgiven. My present is in Him who I can go boldly before to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. My future is secured in heaven. Things may look pretty dark at times, but in reality, I am blessed in the heavenlies by a Father who holds all good things in His hand that is forever stretched out in love toward me.
Each of us face an unknown future each and every day of our lives. We need our God to direct our steps and open our way. It is in Him that we live and move and have our being...encompassed in His love there is no fear. Our old life is buried beneath the waters of the Jordan...I can walk newness of life in Him and by Him. Praying that my kids today can look to my example and anticipate the wonderful things God can and will do in their lives also.
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, the Father, through Him.--Colossians 3:17
