I love it when the light comes on in a child’s mind and heart. I was teaching my elementary kids at church from Acts 14, explaining how God had entrusted Paul and Barnabas to share His message with the world, specifically to the people of Lystra. While in Lystra, Paul healed a man there who had been crippled from birth. Acts 14:11 says “When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “THE GODS HAVE COME DOWN TO US IN HUMAN FORM!”
Upon hearing what the people of Lystra shouted out, one little boy asked, “Mr. Greg, why didn’t God just come down from Heaven to preach His message to the world?” I quickly replied “He did!” There was a moment of silence as I watched him and the other kids in the room think about what I had just said. It was so cool to see the light come on inside him … he said, “Ohhhhhhhh! You’re talking about Jesus!”
The people of Lystra thought that “the gods” (little “g”) had come down in human form to them … what an amazing idea! They weren’t too far off, for Paul and Barnabas preached to them the awesome message of how THE ONE TRUE GOD actually did come down from Heaven in human form to teach us His ways through His Son Jesus Christ. It’s an amazing story … one that I’m afraid we’ve grown much too familiar with.
MY PRAYER FOR TODAY:
“Lord, may I never become so familiar with the story of Jesus that I lose my “awe and wonder.” May I never grow tired of hearing the story, or telling the story … it is the most incredible true story ever told!” GOD CAME DOWN TO US IN HUMAN FORM! Hallelujah!”
