About five years ago my sister sent me a book that I could read to my kids. The Lamb, written by John Cross. clearly and simply tells the gospel of Jesus Christ. I read this book to Juliana when she was five and she began to understand the ultimate sacrifice that Christ paid for those who would give their life for Him.
Last week, I sat down with my six year old boy, Holt, and read a couple of chapters a night until we finished the book. In the first few chapters, Cross discusses that God made everything and he then moves to the attributes of God and then on to when Satan rebelled and was cast out of heaven. Holt listened intently and asked, "if God made everything, then why did he make Satan?" Even with my Masters in Divinity degree . . . uh oh . . . "let's move on Holt," I told him. Holt has always been one to give great analogies. He said "well, it was probably like Star Wars. Darth Vadar used to be on the good side with Luke and Yoda and then he went over to the Dark Side." I agreed and said "yes Holt, Satan switched sides and became an enemy of God."
We moved on and when we got the part about sin, Holt got up and began walking out of the living room letting me know he would be back in a minute. I asked him where he was going, bewildered, because we were right in the middle of the chapter. He emphatically and frustratedly said "I'll be right back." He appeared about two minutes later with his little fists balled up by his side. He stood before me . . . I was on the floor . . . and said "Daddy, you know how sometimes you take money out of your pockets and put it on the kitchen counter beside your wallet? Well, I stole some of it a couple of times and I don't know exactly how much I took but I thought this would be a fair amount" as he opened up his liitle fists and sheepishly handed over some coins. I was shocked! Not that he had stolen . . . well, actually I was shocked (he is such a good boy, as far as good boys go). I was shocked that he was getting it! He was beginning to see his sin problem. He realized that he was a sinner. He was beginning to see his need for rescue! He had been eaten up with guilt and now he was confessing and asking for forgiveness--undeserved grace and undeserved mercy! I took him in my arms and hugged him tight and and told him that I forgave him and that God is a Father too who forgives us when we sin if we will confess. He admitted that he thought he would feel worse if he told me but that he actually felt much better. God is like that isn"t He?
More analogies began to fly out of my little man like "Jesus is like Aslan (from Narnia) isn't he?" and on and on as his little mind began to wrap around the theological doctrines of God and grace and sin and love and . . .
Last week, I sat down with my six year old boy, Holt, and read a couple of chapters a night until we finished the book. In the first few chapters, Cross discusses that God made everything and he then moves to the attributes of God and then on to when Satan rebelled and was cast out of heaven. Holt listened intently and asked, "if God made everything, then why did he make Satan?" Even with my Masters in Divinity degree . . . uh oh . . . "let's move on Holt," I told him. Holt has always been one to give great analogies. He said "well, it was probably like Star Wars. Darth Vadar used to be on the good side with Luke and Yoda and then he went over to the Dark Side." I agreed and said "yes Holt, Satan switched sides and became an enemy of God."
We moved on and when we got the part about sin, Holt got up and began walking out of the living room letting me know he would be back in a minute. I asked him where he was going, bewildered, because we were right in the middle of the chapter. He emphatically and frustratedly said "I'll be right back." He appeared about two minutes later with his little fists balled up by his side. He stood before me . . . I was on the floor . . . and said "Daddy, you know how sometimes you take money out of your pockets and put it on the kitchen counter beside your wallet? Well, I stole some of it a couple of times and I don't know exactly how much I took but I thought this would be a fair amount" as he opened up his liitle fists and sheepishly handed over some coins. I was shocked! Not that he had stolen . . . well, actually I was shocked (he is such a good boy, as far as good boys go). I was shocked that he was getting it! He was beginning to see his sin problem. He realized that he was a sinner. He was beginning to see his need for rescue! He had been eaten up with guilt and now he was confessing and asking for forgiveness--undeserved grace and undeserved mercy! I took him in my arms and hugged him tight and and told him that I forgave him and that God is a Father too who forgives us when we sin if we will confess. He admitted that he thought he would feel worse if he told me but that he actually felt much better. God is like that isn"t He?
More analogies began to fly out of my little man like "Jesus is like Aslan (from Narnia) isn't he?" and on and on as his little mind began to wrap around the theological doctrines of God and grace and sin and love and . . .
How exciting to teach our children and watch the Holy Spirit do his work in them! Love, bro! Fondra
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