Transforming...

I taught my first bible study lesson a few weeks ago! Wow! It was a journey to get there. I have been the Sunday school teacher for the youth for a while now, purely by default. I reluctantly took on that task because I didn't think I would be able to plant seeds and nurture children so when they leave they have something to hold on to. I was sharing my fears with a friend who has recently rededicated her life back to Christ and is opening up the mysteries of His word and His goal for us. She too, could not remember much of anything from our Sunday school experience. I remember learning the memory verse, getting the gold star, singing in the Christmas pageant, and doing it all over again year after year.

 At some point that ritualistic approach wears off. There was nothing that caught my attention when deciding to study James. I just said his name. My first month in preparation, I was reminded of the awesome power of the Holy Spirit. I couldn't believe how I was going through almost every test found in this book all at once! Even as I was going through trials, He is still teaching and revealing himself to me. I believed I had to study James so in depth so I could understand why I was going through all my mess. A book I was commanded to finish by Easter was not done, the problems escalating in my marriage had not been addressed. I had to lose the one thing that I thought I needed to completely yield to His will. We had to go through some mess before we could appreciate the test! It was painful but necessary.

What I also learned in that period of testing and holding on to my faith is that my reluctance in teaching the youth was holding me back. Sometimes God puts us in positions to prepare us. During that season of preparation he is strengthening us. I would find myself heading to scripture to address any concern the kids brought up from week to week. I wanted to make the bible relevant to their lives so they didn't end up like me or Heather, feeling like Sunday school was a bunch of boring rituals.

By August it became clear to me that I was missing something from this entire Christian experience. I was missing the relationship part. I was missing the part that Jesus, in his power and might, simply wants to walk with me and talk to me like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. These two men traveling back home after the crucifixion stunned and in disbelief of all that had transpired, almost missed the opportunity. Jesus was walking with them home and they didn't even recognize him.

We become distracted by so many things that we miss the opportunity to build our relationship. We have to stay focused on him. All he simply wants to do is share every moment of our lives. Years ago Cotton Incorporated had a slogan “Making cotton the fabric of our lives”. Jesus wants to be that fabric, carefully crafted and designed to receive the best prize----eternal life.