Hippety Hoppity

Last Wednesday was a very cool/groovy/far-out night for me.  (Yes, I'm channeling a bit of the 70's today.)  I got to speak to our youth class about God's love.  Now, that's not something to be covered in 20-25 minutes and I'm certainly not the one to attempt to do the explanation justice but, that's what made the night so cool.  Before I speak/teach, I spend a couple of days in prayer with God asking him to speak through me.  The deal I make (hahahahaha) is that I will open my mouth and he'll send the words.  So, I had my notes prepared and I got started and then stuff just started coming to me and I said it even though it wasn't following the outline completely.  Did anyone get anything out of what I was saying?  I did and I hope at least 1 other person did too because that's the other part of my prayer.  Lord, if 1 person hears something that brings them closer to you, you be glorified.  So, one person did (me) but my hope is there may have been a few others.  A friend had told me about the hurt and doubt one other person in the room faces and I think God through me spoke to that pain.  I hope they heard it because it was one of those parts that was coming from God.


One off-the-cuff illustration I used was the picture of the prodigal returning home.  I can imagine him shuffling along, in no big hurry to tell his father he'd squandered everything, feeling like the father couldn't love him and probably feeling like he would never forgive himself.  I've been there.  I've known that feeling intimately and every now and then it still rolls through my head.


The story of the loving father is one I've written about often because it speaks to me so vibrantly.  As I'm shuffling along, wondering if God can ever love me again, I look up to find him running to me.  Yes, running.  To me.


Lord, let me be that image to others.  Not that I am their Lord or their Savior, but only that I can wrap them in my arms in glory to you, only that they will know they are loved by you through others who will help them, that they know they can hold their head high because they are a child of the King, just as I am and that we can rejoice in the fact that while we were once lost, we are on the road that leads to everlasting life with you.


Grace and peace to you.  Oh, yeah...the hippety hoppity part is this song I shared with the class.  For my hip-hop homeboys...Flame - Tonight (All Of Me)