Prayer

So today in Promiseland (our children's ministry) I found myself doing something that, had you asked me two months ago, I would have never thought I would ever do. I found myself center-stage, teaching kids about prayer. Talking to God. Addressing one of the biggest questions that kids have about it: How do you talk to the Creator? To the giver of all things good? He's so fantastically amazingly awesome, and don't you just feel somewhat intimidated even thinking about the fact that He's not only bigger than our own Earth, but also our entire galaxy? As I stood up there, smack dab in the center of the stage in front of fifty or so pairs of eyes, talking to these kids about talking to God, it hit me. I don't think I could have kept the expression and awe out of my voice had I tried (which I didn't). God is HUGE! He's the Creator! He's the Giver! He's the Lover! You're not just talking to one of your friends, here; you're talking to the King of all kings! Wow.

Yeah, I have accepted Christ and gotten baptized and surrendered my life to Him and all of that good stuff. Those were amazing moments, don't get me wrong, and they were moments that I'd love to talk more about (and that I might have already talked about; I might have to go back in my blog and see if I have). But that's not my point. Here's the thing: I don't think it has ever really blown my mind how holy He is until today. I don't know why; it just hasn't. But today...wow.

It leaves me speechless to think that God chose that moment to whisper and say, "Yes, I am Creator. Yes, I am Giver of all that is good. Yes, I am the LORD." Sure, I had heard that and thought about it before. But I had kind of left it in the back of my mind with a sort of "Okay, that's who You are. Now let's move on to what I am and how little I am compared to You and how much I need You." And I'm not saying that that's a bad thing, but do we ever stop and look around us and think, "God, You are the one who decided that we should breathe oxygen. You are the one who decided that we should feel hunger if our bodies need nourishment so that we will stop what we are doing and eat something in order to sustain these bodies." He knows way more than we do about anything we know and everything we don't! How is it that we have come to find acceptance and even love in God's eyes? How is it that He finds an enormous amount of joy in saying "This is my child, in whom I am well pleased" when we choose Him? He's just so vast! How do we deserve this? We don't! We sin every day!

But, as I shared on stage, He wants to know us. He's not that mystery who would rather keep you guessing. He longs for an intimate relationship with us! And one of the best ways to get to know Him is by talking to Him. Just like a friend, or a parent, or a cousin, or a brother, or a husband. Yes, He is our Maker, and should be praised for it (God, You are so amazing and spectacular that my words cannot even begin to encompass all that You are!). But we can share our deepest problems and regrets and hopes and dreams and insecurities and faults and loves and joys with Him, because He already knows. He already knows! He already knew before you were born that you would do that thing or feel that way. He knew you would sin. Heck, He knew what was going to happen with Adam and Eve and even that Satan would break away from Him and fall from his place in Heaven. He already knows! He knew He would have to give Himself as His Son in order to save us. He knew you would turn away from Him again and again to do that thing that you keep saying you've given up. He knows about the fighting that's going on in your house. He knows about the happiness that has been in your life, too. He already knows! But He wants you to go to Him with everything, because talking to Him will deepen your relationship with Him! And all you have to do is open your heart! Pour it out! Know that He is God, the Everlasting, the Beginning and the End, but also know that He is your Father and loves you with an unfailing love and is enthralled by your every word, just as we should be enthralled by His!

I was watching part of a 2007 Christmas service DVD the other day. One of the actors was playing an angel. He said something along the lines of "God has this funny thing for these humans. They've done nothing, and He's crazy about them!" No matter what we do, God will always have a kind of indescribable love for us.

God is love. He loves you. Simple, yes, but definitely true.