Thursday, June 26, 2014

Enoch

Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we. - GK Chesterton Orthodoxy: The Romance of Faith 

Last Saturday I was trying to practice “exulting in monotony” as the quote says above. At the Family Ministry Kick-Off a couple weeks ago my son watched all the big kids playing Joust and created his own game at home called “Knock ‘Em Over.” Over and over we played, using plastic bowling pins to knock each other over, falling to the ground, then springing back up to do it again. The next day I was exhausted, and a bit unwilling, when Ari asked to play again. My three-year-old and seven-month-old have ushered me into the season of “Do it again.” Another game, snack, song, dirty diaper, load of laundry, irresistible baby laugh, etc. And I’ve been trying to keep asking myself, how do I become aware of God’s presence in the mundane everyday? How do I walk with God day after day and year after year?

This Sunday we are going to learn about our ancestor Enoch and how he walked with God for 300 years. Imagine the different trials, seasons, lessons, births, deaths, sunrises, loads of laundry that can accumulate over 300 years. Enoch is a witness of faith in Hebrews 11 because he learned how to allow his faith in God to grow deep for 300 years without having it grow old.

One thing I love about PCC is the number of generations present and engaged in our community. Last Sunday three of those generations were represented through our volunteers and children in PCC Kids’ Fours/Fives class. The oldest person was in their seventies, the youngest was four years old, but I watched as everyone sat in a circle together to hear the story from 1 Samuel 3 when God first speaks to Samuel and calls his name. And all three generations sat in a time of quiet, listening to hear what God might be saying to them that morning. We need all the generations of our community present and engaged with one another. I ask our PCC Kids volunteers to be students of the children they are serving, knowing that Jesus set children as our example of faith. And I’m so grateful for those who serve and model faith for our kids. I am privileged to see the older ones leading the younger, and the younger ones leading the older into God’s presence, so that our faith may mature and deepen without getting old. Together we spur one another on toward faith.

To be honest though, the kids at PCC need you. If we had twenty more people join our PCC Kids team it would allow us to have a sustainable and functioning team. We aren’t there yet. I invite you to join our team, serving the kids and families, to become a witness for our kids, and also to witness childlike faith that may allow you to ask God, “Do it again.”

To hear about our opportunities to serve with kids email me. To read Enoch’s story of lifelong faith turn to Genesis 5:21-24 and Hebrews 11:5-6.


I love being one of your Children’s Pastors,

Lynette