Poster Child

Well, I hope that all of you had a great weekend.  Saturday and Sunday’s tend to be some of the busiest days of the week for us.  I am still in the midst of introducing our new Children’s Church program, so my Saturday was centered pretty much the whole time on that project.  On Sunday morning the kids, helpers and I spent quite awhile putting up decorations on the walls.  I really wanted the students to help with the wall decorations so that they would take more ownership and feel like it was their room. 

I split the kids up into three teams with one of my helpers and myself over each group.  It was fun to see them laughing and chattering away as they seriously engaged in the project.  Even the two Middle school boys who are actually too old for the class seemed to get into the flow of things. It was a very serendipitous event!  When the time had come to begin the day’s lesson, we all stood in the middle of the room and enjoyed the warmth that the color on the walls brought to our hearts.  I think it actually helped them to participate and receive more from the teaching as well!

This morning as I found myself following some thoughts on knowing God’s love, I recalled the warmth that the little bit of additional color had brought to our Children’s Church classroom.  It made me consider the idea of how that was like God’s love expressed in our lives.  Every time we add to our knowledge of and/or experience a new touch of God’s love is like adding another bit of color to our existence.  It’s a warm glow that we can actually feel in our hearts that shines through our eyes, our words and through our actions toward others.

I John 4:8 says that “God is love.”  (KJV)  Therefore whenever we spend time with Him in prayer, in His word or even in fellowship with other believers (Matthew 18:20) we are receiving new portions of the warmth of His love into our beings.  Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible for this verse says that “love seems to be the essence of the Divine nature…”  This basic essence of God then becomes a part of our personal nature that we get to share with others.

I have a friend who works with children who have severe physical needs.  She told me how she always prays before entering the families home and how the parents welcome her warmly knowing that she (in herself) cannot change a thing as she sings to them, brings them toys, does art projects among many other activities and just spends time loving them.  I’m not sure if she realizes it or not, but she is bringing into those hurting homes the colorful warmth of God’s healing and restorative love in a very tangible form.  Her physical presence is as one of those posters that we put up on our walls yesterday.  It will bring a lasting joy and hope into that family for months to come.

That’s how God’s love works in and then through us.  The more we know of His love, the more we can give it to others in need.  Think about that as you go through this new week.  You may find yourself to be that special poster of God’s love that will brighten up a life that you come in contact with!  Stay tuned and keep asking yourself… “What (or Who) am I expecting to bless today?”