Last Sunday was promotion Sunday at church. The 5th graders got to move up to the Junior High class, and the 8th graders moved over to the Senior High. Nate got to join the Junior High. To set the morning apart from the regular routine and so it would feel special, the 6th through 12th graders were all in the same room worshiping together.
After we sang 5 or 6 songs, one of the youth gave her testimony. We sang 6 or 7 more songs, and another one of the youth gave his testimony. This particular student is in the Senior High group. I think he's going to be a preacher some day. His words were very serious, maybe almost a little scary for the younger kids. He seems like he is one who spends a lot of time thinking about God and how the world is, in relation to his faith. We finished the morning by singing more songs.
Another leader and I commented to each other that we were surprised they planned to sing all morning. I was worried the younger students would be bored. I am thankful I'm not the one in charge. If I had planned it, we wouldn't have sang so much. God put it within the hearts and minds of those planning to sing that many worship songs. He knew what he wanted done!
By the end of the morning, the kids were standing on chairs. They were clapping. They were dancing. They were singing loudly. They were having a blast. I don't know too many churches where the kids are able to rock out on Sunday morning, but I sure am glad I go to one. My attitude changed that morning. I was a little worried that sitting in a regular class the following week might seem boring to them compared to what they had just experienced.
This morning was the first "regular" class of the summer. We are going through the Bible in 2 years, in depth. We looked at Creation this morning. Luke, the Junior High youth pastor, is challenging the kids to really examine God's Word to see things in it they may have never seen before. At the same time, we leaders are being challenged. It stood out to me that the Bible says, 'In the beginning, God..." We all know that phrase, but think about it a minute. God doesn't have a beginning. He just is, always was, always will be, but at some point in his being he wanted to make us. He wanted a relationship with us. The beginning is mankind's beginning, not God's. He'd have been perfectly content with just being, but he wanted to make us. We are his craftsmanship. He loves us. We were wanted by God. We are wanted by God. That is so cool to me!
I'm excited to see how we will all grow this summer. The kids, especially, are blessed to have this opportunity. I wish I had had something like it when I was their age. I'm glad we're never to old to learn.
