The waves were gentle and the view went on for miles.
"Do you think we'll catch as many fish as last time, Dad?" asked Timmy.
"I sure hope so! We will at least be able to enjoy the breeze off the water as we wait."
Johnny picked up the new radio, "Dad, what's this? I didn't see this on our last trip out."
"That's the radio. It was here last time too--I've leaned not to go out far from shore without a way to call for help. Grandpa and I got stranded once because we ran out of gas--we had to call on the Coast Guard for help. We never went out on the boat without the radio. It's one of the first things I checked on when we were packing up yesterday."
The boys exchanged a nervous look. "Dad? Do we have enough gas in the boat?"
"Yes, that's the second thing I check on. I don't want to get stranded again." They all laughed.
They arrived at their favorite fishing spot--just where they could see the lighthouse past the bend in the shore. Dad turned his attention to throwing out the anchor and getting the fishing gear set up. The boys took the ball Rex had been nuzzling and began to play catch. At one point, Johnny tosses the ball too far left and Timmy falls out of the boat!
"Oh, no!" Johnny gasps and time stands still as he processes what is going on.
He looks down and sees the radio: he can call on the Coast Guard. Dad said the Coast Guard would help. He looks toward Timmy--Rex has jumped in after him, but both are now stuck treading water. Maybe he can jump in. Could he help them all back into the boat?
"Daddy!" Johnny ultimately yells. Dad's attention turns to his struggling boy and dives into the water. He works to push Timmy and Rex back into the boat and then climbs in himself.
Once they were all safely on the boat, Dad envelopes both boys in a hug.
the end
This is the simple story God gave me to use for the VBS learning center on prayer--and more recently used during the middle school mission trip. The goal for the center was to share the simple truth that God is our Abba Father, our Daddy God. When we pray, we are talking to our Daddy God.
In the learning center, before going into the story we bragged on God--brainstormed what the kids knew about God. It was a great exercise and incredibly encouraging.
After the story, we (there were three other teachers leading centers for various ages) went on to explain:
People sometimes view God as the Coast Guard. We have an ability to call on Him. He is strong and able to help us. BUT He is far away and not emotionally connected. They believe that He created the world, but then set it spinning and walked away. That is NOT the God revealed in the Bible.
People sometimes view God as the loyal and loving dog. He is near and loves, but is not able to help us with anything of consequence. He is there to obey our wants and there to grant us whatever we claim. That is NOT the Go!d of the Bible either.
The better picture of God is as a loving Father, who is near and loving and strong and able. He jumped into the water to rescue his precious child.
The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray (Luke 11) and Jesus begins His model prayer with "Our Father." THIS was a revolutionary thought that Almighty God would be addressed in such an intimate manner.
Because of Jesus, we are His children (Gal. 4:6) and can approach the Almighty Creator of the universe (Heb. 4:16) as our Daddy God. It is amazingly and profoundly simple.
Do you talk to Him that way? Why not?
No comments:
Post a Comment