Hidden in Their Hearts
One of the many gifts children give is the freedom for us adults to be child-like again. There is nothing more freeing than running in a gym playing pool noodle tag (the fact that I couldn’t keep up is neither here nor there). There is something so beautiful when you are invited into conversations about the latest movie, toy or silly song (I would be fine if I never heard ‘It’s raining tacos’ again). Children show us time and again that there is joy in life.
The winter months are loooong here in the prairies and the early sunsets invite the night sky much sooner than any of us would like. The one advantage though is the ability to play glow stick hide and go seek during our mid-week kids club. Before the kids arrive, mini glow sticks are cracked and hidden throughout the church. The goal is to find as many as you can. The result is laughter, silly delight and a new way to experience church. I’m sure the same fun could be had in their homes but there’s something about exploring the church this way that makes it special.
There were places they didn’t even know existed before this game! And when we repeated this event a few months later, I quickly discovered that I needed to ‘up my game’. The spots that were new the first time around were no longer hard to find. In fact, its where they went to look first. They remembered where the spots were months after we initially played. Don’t worry though, I really amped up the hiding the next time… and they loved the challenge.
Children love to seek. They love to discover. They love to explore. Translating that thirst for adventure into discovering God’s Word can be a challenge though. Do you feel like you’re on repeat? Or that the lessons shared aren’t sinking in the way you hoped? Children are incredible observers. They are, however, little humans who have yet to master the skill of sitting still and can easily be distracted. Good gravy, I’m guilty of the same and am no longer a spring chicken.
The Psalms give us great encouragement though:
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
Psalm 119:11-13
The more often our kids hear God’s Word, the deeper it is hidden in their hearts. The more often our kids see our love for God, the deeper they will know His love. Be encouraged to keep teaching God’s Word. The world will do whatever it can to drown us out and keep us quiet. But, when God’s Word is deeply embedded into the hearts of these children, they will ‘recount all the laws’. They will remember. They will treasure. They will continue to seek God’s voice. Even if it feels like we’re on ‘repeat’.
Blessings as you continue to build on the foundation God has already established. You are doing vital, important work. May the Lord continue to give you patience, grace and love for those you are ministering too.