A Wee Little Man

  

Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

~Psalms 2:8 NKJV

"Father, would you plant a sycamore tree along the road from Jericho? There will be a man who will need that tree in a few years."

"Yes, my Son. It is done."

Fifty years later - A small man scurried about preparing to leave his house. All the money needed to be secured. The expensive goods needed to be hidden. All the while, he wondered how he, the shortest man in town, would be able to hear and see the great Teacher if he were trapped in the middle of the noisy moving crowd. Perhaps if he went ahead of the crowd, he would be able to see Jesus as He led the crowd out of town. 

Hurrying down the road, he noticed an old sycamore tree. Its heart-shaped leaves were already large. If he climbed the tree, the leaves would hide him from the crowd. They despised him anyway. He gained his riches from their taxes. Perhaps, climbing up the tree would be his best option. He would be able to see without being seen. 

As he settled in, the wasps annoyed him. He knew the figs drew the wasps needed to prick the fruit, allowing them to ripen. Otherwise, they were inedible. Still, he swatted. Didn't they know he wasn't a fig? There, just up the road, Jesus led the raucous crowd. He spoke to the people listening intently until the Pharisees interrupted with their questions. Jesus was drawing nearer. Now He stopped. Jesus looked up with a smile. Suddenly, the man felt very exposed. 

"Zacchaeus, come down. I want to go to your house today. " 

He nearly fell scrambling down the slick trunk. "You want to go to my house? Come, come this way. It's only a short distance."

The crowd murmured. They watched in shock that Jesus would go to the house of a sinner like Zacchaeus. He was a thief and a robber. "Jesus doesn't know what He is doing. He can't be the Messiah if he keeps company with a tax collector."  Many shook their heads in disbelief, but they followed Jesus to Zacchaeus's house. 

Zacchaeus's heart was pricked. He knew he didn't deserve to have Jesus in his home. But he knew Jesus cared about him. He had robbed many people and needed to be forgiven. He wanted to change his ways. "Jesus, I want to give half my goods to the poor. If I have wronged anyone, I will give them back four times what I have taken." 

Jesus looked about at the people. “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Each time Zacchaeus passed the sycamore tree on his way to the town, he looked up. "Thank you, Father, for planting this tree here just for me."

Have you ever felt like you were hiding from God? Zacchaeus wasn't the only one. Remember Adam and Eve tried to make clothes with fig leaves. Have you ever felt God pricking your heart so you could turn from your bitter sin and ripen into the sweet Christian Jesus wants you to be? 

Have you ever thought how Jesus planned to get the message of salvation to you? How he planned for everything to be in place at the right time just for you? We've all been Zacchaeus at some point. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for planning every situation for my salvation. May I continually thank you for the day you pricked my heart and brought salvation to my house. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Have you ever climbed a sycamore tree? My grandmother called the tree a sycamine. I thought it was just her old-fashioned English, but when I did a little research through Bible Study Tools, it turns out that Zacchaeus's sycamore tree was actually a sycamine. It grows much like a fig tree in the Middle East and has inedible fruit unless the fruit is pricked. 

Use the Bible Study Tools link above to help you find out more about Sycamore trees and what trees we have that are similar. It could be you have eaten a fruit pricked by a wasp. I've eaten the fruit from a tree in my backyard. It's pretty tasty. 

Do you know the song "Zacchaeus was a Wee Little Man"? Follow the link to hear the Cedarmont kids sing it on YouTube.

The Moon is Always Round

 

For the LORD is good;

his steadfast love endures forever,

and his faithfulness to all generations.

~Psalm 100:5 ESV

I remember my sister-in-law quoting a nursery rhyme. 

I see the moon.

The moon sees me.

God bless the moon. 

And God bless me. 

Have you ever wondered why and there was just no answer? 

Someone recommended a children's book to me, The Moon is Always Round, by Jonathan Gibson.  There were several things I liked about this book. It's an easily read children's book, but with lots of deeper meaning. 

• The dad is the spiritual leader of the home even before tragedy.
• God's truths are taught from the scripture and the Creation
• Adults don't have all the answers
• God is loving and faithful in all circumstances.

I feel having the dad as the spiritual leader in this book gives dads the honor and respect God has given them as the head of the home. He protects his wife and gives her space to grieve while he takes on the responsibility of attending to his son's questions.

The analogy of the moon as a continual presence, to God as always a continual presence, gives a child and us as adults something tangible to help us remember God's love and presence. We see the moon in many phases and at times - invisible, but the moon is always there and always round. Sometimes we see God full on in a situation. Sometimes we feel like God is hard to see. And sometimes we can't see God at all. But God is always there and He knows our circumstances, our needs, and our heartaches even when we can't see Him working. 

Often children and others ask Christians why. Why did this happen? What have I done to deserve this? 

Even Christians don't have those answers. We have to look to scriptures for others who have gone through similar circumstances and see how God worked. Job, a just man, lost all his wealth and more importantly all his children. He hadn't done anything to cause the circumstance. 

God allowed Satan to try Job to demonstrate God's faithfulness and Job's trust in God.

Abraham and Sarah had no children. Neither did Zechariah and Elizabeth. God used Abraham and Sarah to create a nation. Zechariah and Elizabeth were the parents of John the Baptist. 

We may not always understand God's purposes, but we must trust he is loving and faithful in every circumstance, just as the moon is always round in every phase. 

Dear Heavenly Father, help us trust you in every circumstance. Help us know that you never want to harm us but to allow us to demonstrate your love and faithfulness to others. May we trust you as Job, and Abraham, Sarah, Zechariah and Elisabeth. May we never lose sight of your love and care. In Jesus' name. Amen.

A Deathbed Confession

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. ~Luke 23:43

So often, the message of this man hanging on a cross beside Jesus is overlooked, forgotten. He confesses his sin of a wicked life. He knows that to die is a rightful judgment, but he looks at Jesus and asks Jesus to remember him when he comes into His kingdom. Jesus tells him that today he will be with Him in paradise. Jesus pronounces salvation for this man, though he has never done anything worthy of salvation. The man's faith that Jesus is the Son of God, who can forgive sins, brought salvation to him in death. Have you ever known anyone to make a "deathbed" confession? What would be your thoughts about such a person? I would like to share a true story about someone whose life and death I am well acquainted with. 

A young man grew up in a Christian home, his dad a deacon. He married a young lady from his church. Somewhere along the way, he denied that faithful upbringing. For what reason, I do not know, but his wife remained faithful. They raised a family of thirteen children, most of whom reached adulthood. He was known in the community as the old atheist, though he personally confessed to be agnostic. There's not much difference. A lost man is a lost man. 

For all his lack of faith in God, he was a faithful husband. He loved hunting and guns. He loved his family and was a sober man. One evening, as he came in from hunting, he noticed his wife had left a basket of clothes under the line. Propping his gun against the wagon, he retrieved the basket. As he picked up his gun with his free hand, it slipped. The stock hit the ground. The bullet hit the man under his left arm. This was in the days just before penicillin. Though the doctor was called and all that could be done was done, the wound set up gangrene in a few days. His wife and children, some of whom had become believers, pleaded with him to repent and ask forgiveness before it was too late. 

On his deathbed, he confessed Jesus as his savior. The family wanted to take comfort in his confession, but there was always that nagging feeling that maybe Pa had said it to please the family.

The man's oldest son was already a Christian when his pa died. He may have already been a deacon in his church. This son contracted lung cancer when he was about 60 years old. As he languished in the hospital in and out of consciousness, his son sat by his side. In the dad's last words, he began to greet those who had gone before. "Hello Grandma, Hello Grandpa, Hello Ma, Ohhhh Pa!" Then he was gone. 

Now his son wondered what he had seen. Did he see his Pa in heaven or a vision of him in hell? No, we won't see the anguish of hell. Pa's deathbed confession was real. 

Heavenly Father, thank you that you hear our prayers and the prayer of every sinner who comes to you in repentance and faith. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Blue Willow

 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.~Romans 8:28

Have you ever wondered how you would make it through life if you lost everything except your family and one special treasure?

Back To the Future

 

But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.

Numbers 14:21

"Grandma, do you think we'll ever have time travel? I'd like to go back to the Civil War just to see what life was like." 

"Well, everything we touched would affect and change the future. I'm not sure that's a good idea but I've always wanted to be an interpreter at a national park."

This was the beginning of a conversation with my teenage grandson on the way back from the gym. Our family loves history. We've lived in Spartanburg county since before the Revolutionary War. We are surrounded by family history and when we vacation we visit historic sites. Our conversation ended by concluding that God placed us here in this time and place for a specific reason — "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14). So do our lives affect the future? 

In Numbers 13 the Lord had Moses send twelve men into the land of Canaan to spy out the land. Ten of the men brought back a bad report — bad news. They wouldn't be able to take the good land because there were walled cities and giants. Only Joshua and Caleb were ready to go into the land and take it believing God's promise. The people chose to follow the ten spies who gave the bad report because those spies were the majority. Their choice affected their future. God was ready to destroy the people and start over but Moses' talk with God affected the future.

God agreed to let the people live but those over twenty years old would die without seeing the promised land. They would wander in the wilderness until the younger generation grew up and the faithless died off except Joshua and Caleb. We live in a troubling time. Our thoughts and actions affect the future. God sent revivals in the past. The Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th Centuries were victorious times for God's people. Then several things happened to affect the future of God's people. 

Do you think God could send revival again? Do you think He will? Our thoughts and attitudes toward God's purposes affect our future. God's purpose in leading the Israelites into the promised land was to bring the gospel to the whole world. They were to be the people used by God to bring the Messiah. Their fear and disobedience delayed God's plan. How is our obedience or lack thereof affecting God's plan for our future? 

Take the time to look back at the preaching of the Great Awakenings. Google search should bring up the preachers and their doctrines without too much trouble. Look back at Christmas carols like "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear". Think about how people thought about the future. What was their vision? Life wasn't easy but they had a hope. 

We can't and shouldn't go back to the past, but we do need God's vision for the future — that all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord.

Heavenly Father, Open our eyes to the things we do each day that affect our future. Help us Lord to not be afraid to move forward. Show us how to be strong and of good courage (Joshua 1:6) knowing you go before us. Help us make choices that will bring a great awakening in our time.  In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Praying God's Promises

 Photo by pixabay.

And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord. 

~Genesis 4:26

Why do we pray? Is it just because we think we should or are we praying for the things God has promised?


A friend of mine related how her pastor used the verse from Genesis 4:26 to help them see how God honors His promises. Seth was Adam and Eve's third son. In Genesis 3:15 God promised to send the Savior to bruise Satan's head though Satan would bruise his heel. Satan immediately began a plan to derail God's promise. God gave Adam and Eve two sons, Cain and Able. They taught their boys to make the blood sacrifice of an animal for the forgiveness of sin just as God had made the sacrifice for them. However, Cain felt his hard work should be good enough. When God rejected Cain's sacrifice of his crops, Cain was angry and in jealousy killed his brother. The righteous seed of Able was destroyed and Satan thought he had won the war early.


Adam and Eve did not lose faith in God's promise. Nor had God turned his back on his promise. Eve conceived again and Seth was born. Once again Adam and Eve taught their son to have faith in God's promise, to make the blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. There is no mention of Adam and Eve's other children following the Lord except in a lineage of Godly men and their families to Noah. When all the world went their own way every thought was evil. But Noah believed God and found grace in his eyes.


When we pray today, do we hold to God's promises or are we simply making rote prayers in vain repetition like the heathen to their idols?

Remember your first prayer of faith in God's promise? 

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13

• We know we sin daily. What is God's promise? I John 1:0
• We pray for the salvation of our family. Do we stand on the promise of Acts 16:31?
• We pray for the sick. Why? James 5:16
• If we ask for healing does that always mean we are healed on this earth? The saved are winners either way. Psalms 116:15
• Do we pray for our leaders, even those with whom we disagree? I Timothy 2:1-4
• As conflicts arise more and more in the Middle East, do we love Israel enough to pray for her? Psalms 122:6

God makes us a promise of blessings with each prayer we pray. 

What an awesome God we serve.

Father God, we love you and thank you for your promises and blessings. May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). In Jesus's name. Amen.

Consider Job

 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Job 13:15a (NKJV)

Job is probably one of the least read books of the Bible but consider Job for just a moment.  He's living the American dream with a wife, ten children, a nice home, lots of cattle (that would be a bank account in our terms), and lots of servants. We know people who seem to live that life. We sometimes tend to be a little envious of them. But what if, like Job, everything was suddenly taken away?

Disaster struck and Job lost all his cattle. War took his wealth. We all have friends and family, maybe even ourselves who have lost jobs or homes or both. Some have even lost their comfortable lives because of war. 

Then a natural disaster, a great wind struck Job's children. They were all killed. Again, we or family or friends have experienced hurricanes, tornadoes, or fires. 

What more could Job have suffered? God allowed Satan to take Job's health. It's hard to watch someone suffering with their health and no one can help. 

Then Job's marriage took a nose dive. All these disasters affected his wife as well as Job. She was ready to just give up and die. No, more than give up, she told Job to curse God and die. But Job saw the bigger picture. He admonished his wife for foolish talk. He understood everything he had was a gift from God, his wealth, his children, his health, and his wife. 

Job understood that the grave wasn't the end. 

For I know that my Redeemer lives,

And He shall stand at last on the earth;

26 

And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,

That in my flesh I shall see God,

27 

Whom I shall see for myself,

And my eyes shall behold, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me!

Job 19: 25-27 NKJV

I see those who struggle with income disasters for one reason or another, yet their faith is strong.
I see those who have lost a child or children yet their faith is strong.
I see those who have lost their health yet their faith is strong.
I see those who struggle in their marriage yet their faith is strong.

How can they maintain their faith? Just as Job did. Their faith in Jesus as their Savior and Lord helps them face each day. They know that whether they live or die they are winners either way because Jesus has a place prepared for them that is better than anything they have seen or can imagine. I know that salvation as well. 

Heavenly Father, we know our lives are full of trouble and our days are in your hands. I thank You for the promise of eternal salvation because of the gift of Your Son who died in my place. Father, may I keep the faith until the whole world knows. In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Faith, Family and Fun

 

and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ~ I Timothy 3:15 NKJV

Do you remember gathering together with your parents and siblings for family devotions? I remember Mom and Dad setting aside a time each night to read the Bible and pray as a family before we went to bed. The TV was off, the radio was off and there were no electronics to interfere. My parents were purposeful in making sure faith and family were top priorities in our lives. As we went about our daily lives other things might prompt Mom or Dad to say something to remind us of the things in the Bible. Dad always loved to take us fishing and tell us stories or ask us questions that made us think. Maybe because he was thinking too. On one occasion I remember him pointing out how red the moon was that night. Then he told us the moon would turn to blood before the end of the world. (Acts 2:20) It was like telling ghost stories only it was truth from the Bible. Now sixty years later I still remember that fishing trip and that truth.

A friend of mine shared a new family devotions book with me. It's not scary. It's fun things to help children remember in a hands on way of the Truth found in scripture.  Perhaps it can help us all to begin to share our faith with our young children. Cathy D. Dudley's Faith Family & Fun family devotions book is a collection of twelve devotions that can be used as monthly lessons plus an extra for Easter and Christmas. Each lesson begins with a story a young child might identify with such as a lost dog suddenly returning home after week. Then there are four headings that connect each story with Biblical truth.

 The Bible Tells Me So 

    A scripture to connect the story to a Bible verse.

Prayer

    A prayer to connect the family to the Lord.

Activity

    A hands-on activity to imprint the lesson in the child's daily life.

Everyday Living

    A way to live out the truths the child has learned. 

Then there's the coloring page. Each devotion offers a coloring page for the child to recall the story again, reinforcing the lesson taught. 

Though there is only one for each month, parents can use that lesson in a variety of ways throughout the month so the story, the lesson, is not just a one-and-done devotion. 

Heavenly Father, help us tell our children, show our children, and reinforce to our children, Your love for each of us through stories, daily life, and fun because You are the One who brings us joy. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Refresh Your Prayers

I'd like to introduce you to my friend Lori Hatcher. Her new book, Refresh Your Prayers, is helping my prayer life grow in faith, making it soar in the truth of God's word. I hope you enjoy the sample from her new book. If you leave a comment I will put your name in a random drawing for a free copy of Refresh Your Prayers. Following my blog will give you another entry and sharing on social media will put your name in the hat again. Just let me know in the comments how you shared. 

We all know Bible reading and prayer are vital parts of our faith, but what happens when our prayer lives become stagnant and our quiet times grow stale? We need something more than just familiar verses and the command to pray. In Refresh Your Prayers, Uncommon Devotions to Unlock Power and Praise, Lori Hatcher shares five-minute story-driven devotions that spotlight unusual prayer verses in the Bible.

Each devotion ends with a Power Point (a spiritual truth to empower your faith) and a Praise Prompt (a short prayer designed to magnify God and make your faith soar). The Live It Out section challenges you to apply what you’ve learned right now for immediate change.

If you’re tired of your all-too-quiet quiet time, Refresh Your Prayers is the answer.
The UNcommon Book on Prayer – Unusual Devotions to Unlock Power and Praise
Available now at Amazon.com, Christian Book.com, and wherever fine books are sold.

Learning to Trust

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Mark 4:40

Our dog Winston was the biggest scaredy cat in the canine world. We credit his timidity to his time in “The Big House.” The runt of the litter, seven-week-old Winston was malnourished and mangy when someone dropped him off at the animal shelter.

Thankfully the animal control officer was married to Grace, the president of the animal rescue league. He told her about the tiny, freckle-faced puppy, and she saw potential in him. Eying his patchy fur and protruding ribs, she announced, “I can cure his mange and fatten him up. He’ll make someone a great pet.”

Until his mange cured, Grace kept Winston isolated. By the time we adopted him, he’d spent a large portion of his life alone. We weren’t surprised to discover he had trust issues.

Imagine what it would be like to go from an isolated crate in the corner of a room to a big wide world bustling with sights, sounds, and smells. Falling leaves sent him running for cover. Sudden noises caused him to hide under the nearest piece of furniture. One day we were playing in an open field when a plastic grocery bag blew his way. He bolted like Sasquatch was chasing him.

Winston reminds me of myself in the early days of my faith. God didn’t rescue me from The Big House, but He did rescue me from a dark and hopeless future. He cured my sin sickness and promised to take care of me all the days of my life.

But I had trust issues. At the first rustle of change or clatter of trouble, I ran for cover.
Like the disciples in the storm on the Sea of Galilee, I cried out, “Teacher, don’t you care about me?”
I was convinced—God was sleeping, and I was going to drown.

I had to extend lots of love and patience to persuade Winston to trust me. When scary things frightened him, I called his name, dropped to my knees, and opened my arms wide. “Come, Winston,” I said. “Come to me. I’ll protect you.”

Before long he learned to run to me instead of away from me. One day I walked him on a busy street to condition him not to fear traffic noises. In the distance a fire truck roared our way. Seeing the threat, I dropped to my knees, wrapped my arms around him, and covered him with my body until the truck howled past.

“Don’t be afraid,” I whispered into his trembling ear. “I’ve got you.”

God did the same for me. As I prayed and He answered, I learned to run to Him whenever anything frightening entered my world. When I brought financial needs, sickness, and relationship troubles to Him in prayer, I saw Him respond. When the leaves of uncertainty rustled, I shared my fears with Him. When unemployment, a wayward child, or a troubling situation roared into my life, I sought protection in His mighty arms and found comfort and help.

As He answered my prayers and responded to my needs, my trust grew.
“Don’t be afraid,” God whispered to my trembling heart. “I’ve got you.”

Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to pray about everything. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God met my needs; kept me free from sickness, pain, and sorrow; and intercepted every problem before it touched my life?

If He did, though, I’d never learn to trust Him. My faith would be as malnourished as Winston when Grace rescued him. I’d take every good gift for granted and never recognize that it came from the generous hand of my heavenly Father.

In heaven, nothing will make me afraid, and my faith will become sight. Until then, my fear drives me to pray, and God’s answers grow my faith.

As Winston learned to trust me, our relationship grew sweeter. No longer plagued by fear and distrust, he could freely enjoy the life we shared.

As I’ve learned to trust God, our relationship has grown sweeter too. I’ve learned He’s not asleep on the job. He’s aware of all my needs and is fully able to meet them. This knowledge frees me to face life with confidence.

Jesus asked His disciples two questions in the middle of the storm. He asks us the same: “Why are you so afraid?” and “Do you still have no faith?” Because faith pleases God, I’m learning to embrace every need that sends me running into His arms. No matter what threatens, I find them always open. 

Uncommon Power

God calls me to pray so I can learn to trust Him.

Praise Prompt

Father, thank you for patiently teaching me to love and trust you. I praise you for being trustworthy, faithful, and good. Grow my faith, Lord. When trials and trouble enter my life, help me run to you first. In the strong name of Jesus I ask, amen.

Live It Out

List all the ways God has provided for you in the last week. In the last month. In the last year. List everything from the air in your lungs, to the clothes on your back, to the roof over your head. Think also of the nonmaterial gifts. Has God been faithful? Remember this the next time you feel afraid. Run to Him and grow in faith and trust.

Lori Hatcher is a pastor’s wife who lives delightfully close to her four grandchildren in Lexington, South Carolina. She’s the author of several devotional books including Refresh Your Prayers, Uncommon Devotions to Restore Power and Praise. She’s also a blogger, writing instructor, and inspirational speaker. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Refresh . Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@LoriHatcher2), or Pinterest (Hungry for God).


Taken from Refresh Your Prayers: Uncommon Devotions to Restore Power and Praise by Lori Hatcher© 2022. Used by permission of Our Daily Bread Publishing®, Box 3566, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. All rights reserved. Further distribution is prohibited without written permission from Our Daily Bread Publishing® at permissionsdept@odb.org.

Who Are You?

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. I John 5:4

Last night we had the privilege to view Overcomer by the Kendrick brothers, a Faith Film. One of the characters asked the coach, "Who are you?" The coach gave the natural answer of a coach. "No, who are you?" the character asked again. Quickly the coach listed off all the things he was. I challenge you to stop here, grab a scrap of paper and a pencil and make a quick list of who you are. Don't think about it, just write. 

A Purpose

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 
II Timothy 3:15

We often wonder if God has a purpose for our lives. We may think we wander about life aimlessly. Perhaps we need to reexamine our circumstances and see what God is trying to do through us. 

Today I want to examine a story in II Kings 5:1-19. Most of the story is about Naaman, a leper. The part I most want to concentrate on is the little maid. Not a lot of information is given about her, no name, no age, no duties as a servant (read that "slave"). The one important thing about this little girl is her care for others. She told her mistress that she wished her master was in the land of Samaria with the prophet who would heal him. That's all. The message gets passed along and mixed up. Naaman ends up at the King of Israel's doorstep and upsets the whole kingdom because the king can not help. When Elisha hears of the visit, he sends for Naaman. Even when Naaman returns home a healed man and a saved man, nothing more is said of the little maid. She was second only to God in this story because had she not started the ball rolling, Naaman would have never gone to Elisha or been healed or gained faith in the one true God. Parents, join your kids in jotting down a few notes to help us understand how God uses even us in the worst of circumstances to bring others to Christ.

Hey Kids - Go get a paper and pencil. We can make a few educated guesses about the little maid and cover a huge writing, math, geography, science, and history/ social studies assignment with the help of this one little maid. 

Science - What is leprosy?

History - When did Syria take slaves from Israel?

Math - How far would the Israelite captives have to travel to get to Syria?

Creative writing - using your 5 senses jot down the little maid's capture and travel experience. 

What sounds did she hear? Screams? Pleadings? Clashing of swords? Horses neighing?

What smells were there? The smell of sweaty animals, cooking fires, dust, etc.

What tastes? Dry mouth, a sip of water (hot or cold?) What foods? dried meats, cheese, raisins or figs, yogurt from a pouch.

What did she see? Wounded people, tear-stained faces, dirt-streaked faces, tangled hair, sadness?

What did she feel? The heat of the sun, the cold of the night, fear?

Was she still with her parents or had she been separated? Did she travel with a friend? Was she injured or mistreated? 

What about when she got to Syria? Was she sold as a slave or simply taken by Naaman for his wife? How long before she knew the language? How was she treated?

Through all of this, the little girl kept her faith? How had her parents instilled God's word in her so that through all of this she was still able to see that her job in life was to serve God and serve others? 

Kids, what story can you write from these notes? What do you think happened when Naaman returned? Was she reunited with her family? Did she grow up and have a family? Did she die in a plague or from an injury? Was God's purpose for her life fulfilled in this one assignment?  What further research do you need? How is God showing you your purpose through this little girl? 

Parents, what ideas do you have to increase the faith of your children? This little girl surely demonstrated her faithfulness in her daily work for the Syrian mistress to believe her idea that Elisha could heal Naaman. Her parents first instilled the faith in their child. Then a witness went out to "all the world". Can we do no less? Is this not our purpose to love and teach our children to love and teach others of Christ?

Blessings,

Gail

Faith To Fulfill Our Purpose

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. II Timothy 3:15

We often wonder if God has a purpose for our lives. We think we have wandered about life aimlessly. Perhaps we need to reexamine our circumstances and see what God is trying to do through us. 

Today I want to examine a story in II Kings 5:1-19. Most of the story is about Naaman, a leper. The part I most want to concentrate on is the little maid. Not a lot of information is given about her, no name, no age, no duties as a servant (read that "slave"). The one important thing about this little girl is her care for others. She told her mistress that she wished her master was in the land of Samaria with the prophet who would heal him. That's all. The message gets passed along and mixed up. Naaman ends up at the King of Israel's doorstep and upsets the whole kingdom because the king can not help. When Elisha hears of the visit, he sends for Naaman. Even when Naaman returns home a healed man and a saved man, nothing more is said of the little maid. She was second only to God in this story because had she not started the ball rolling, Naaman would have never gone to Elisha or been healed or gained faith in the one true God. Join the kids in jotting down a few notes to help us understand how God uses even us in the worst of circumstances to bring others to Christ.

Hey Kids - Go get a paper and pencil. We can make a few educated guesses about the little maid and cover a huge writing, math, geography, science, and history/ social studies assignment with the help of this one little maid. 

Science - What is leprosy?

History - When did Syria take slaves from Israel?

Math - How far would the Israelite captives have to travel to get to Syria?

Creative writing - using your 5 senses jot down the little maid's capture and travel experience. 

What sounds did she hear? Screams? Pleadings? Clashing of swords? Horses neighing?

What smells were there? Smell of sweaty animals, cooking fires, dust, etc.

What tastes? dry mouth, a sip of water (hot or cold?) what foods? dried meats, cheese, raisins or figs, yogurt from a pouch.

What did she see? wounded people, tear stained faces, dirt streaked faces, tangled hair, sadness

What did she feel? the heat of the sun, the cold of the night, fear

Was she still with her parents or had she been separated? Did she travel with a friend? Was she injured or mistreated? 

What about when she got to Syria? Was she sold as a slave or simply taken by Naaman for his wife? How long before she knew the language? How was she treated?

Through all of this the little girl kept her faith? How had her parents instilled God's word in her so that through all of this she was still able to see that her job in life was to serve God and serve others. 

Kids, what story can you write from these notes? What do you think happened when Naaman returned? Was she reunited with her family? Did she grow up and have a family? Did she die in a plague or from an injury? Was God's purpose for her life fulfilled in this one assignment?  What further research do you need? How is God showing you your purpose through this little girl? 

Parents, what ideas do you have to increase faith for your children? This little girl surely demonstrated her faithfulness in her daily work for the Syrian mistress to believe her idea that Elisha could heal Naaman. Her parents first instilled faith in their child. Then a witness went out to "all the world". Can we do no less? Is this not our purpose to love and teach our children to love and teach others of Christ?

Blessings,

Gail