Dear Parents,I just wanted you to know how blessed I am by our 3 year olds class. In this class we have one young adult who is the "baby sitter" but mostly the lesson is taught by 2 of our 8th graders. When teens get involved with church they are more likely to stay in church and have their own faith grow. There is such a sweet atmosphere in the 3 year old room and it seems that the children love being there.
In today's story the children learned about God's love for them. The Bible Verse is "Give thanks to the Lord, His love is forever." (Chronicles 16:34).
The Bible story comes from John 4:46-53
The father in today's story was a royal official; he was well-to-do and probably had access to healers of many kinds. But it looked as if his son was going to die. This man could have sent his servant to Jesus when He came to Cana but he himself walked from Capernaum to beg Jesus to come and heal his son.
We all have felt the helplessness when our child is ill. Even with access to doctors and hospitals, a parent can still fear when a child is sick.
Wonder what the father in today's story was thinking as he was walking? Will my boy stay alive until I can bring Jesus back home? What if Jesus won't come with me? Will He care?
This father was in a real need, and it was his real need that brought him to Jesus. He was about to experience a wonderful thing. Jesus cared! with just a word, He healed the boy and the whole family believed!
Last week I read in David Wilkerson's Devotions: "Our faith is not meant to get us out of hard place or change our painful condition. Rather, it is meant to reveal God's faithfulness to us in the midst of our dire situation. God does at times change our trying circumstances. But more often, He doesn't - because He wants to change us." David Wilkerson then goes on to examples of the fiery furnace and Daniel in the Lions' den examples. If those people had suddenly been pulled out of their circumstances, they never would have known the full grace of God's miracle-working power. And the Lord would not have been magnified before the ungodly.
I just wanted to add that, in case you are going through a really tuff time and are wondering why God is not hearing your prayers. Just remember that He is always close to you and His plans are so much better than ours. Don't lose hope! WAIT! And know that there are many at Stanwich Church who LOVE YOU!
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