Category: understanding

Sunday Funnies: Children’s Letters to God

We love our children (those little angels!) and really do see them as a gift from God to us.  They are part of the reason why we take our meds, stay sober and deal with our depression.

Below are examples of children writing their letter to God.  All of them are significant, and we see through their innocent questions to understand the heart.

  • Dear God, In Sunday School they told us what You do. Who does it when You are on vacation? — Jane
  • Dear God, I think about You sometimes even when I’m not praying. — Elliot
  • Dear God, Did You really mean “do unto others as they do unto you?” Because if you did, then I’m going to fix my brother. — Darla
  • Dear God, I didn’t think orange went with purple until I saw the sunset You made on Tuesday. — Margret
  • Dear God, I read the Bible. What does “begat” mean? Nobody will tell me. — Love, Allison
  • Dear God, Are you really invisible or is that a trick? — Lucy
  • Dear God, Is it true my father won’t get in Heaven if he uses his bowling words in the house? — Anita
  • Dear God, Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an accident? — Norma
  • Dear God, Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don’t You just keep the ones You have now? — Jane
  • Dear God, Who draws the lines around countries? — Nan
  • Dear God, The bad people laughed at Noah — “You made an ark on dry land you fool”. But he was smart, he stuck with You. That’s what I would do. — Eddie
  • Dear God, I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay? — Neil
  • Dear God, What does it mean You are a Jealous God? I thought You had everything. — Jane
  • Dear God, Thank You for the baby brother, but what I prayed for was a puppy. — Joyce
  • Dear God, Why is Sunday School on Sunday? I thought it was supposed to be our day of rest. — Tom L.
  • Dear God, Please send me a pony. I never asked for anything before, You can look it up. — Bruce
  • Dear God, If we come back as something — please don’t let me be Jennifer Horton because I hate her. — Denise
  • Dear God, My brother is a rat. You should give him a tail. Ha ha. — Danny
  • Dear God, Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother. — Larry
  • Dear God, I want to be just like my Daddy when I get big but not with so much hair all over. — Sam
  • Dear God, You don’t have to worry about me. I always look both ways. — Dean
  • Dear God, I bet it is very hard for You to love all of everybody in the whole world. There are only 4 people in our family and I can never do it. — Nan
  • Dear God, Of all the people who work for You, I like Noah and David the best. — Rob
  • Dear God, My brother told me about being born but it doesn’t sound right. They’re just kidding, aren’t they? — Marsha
  • Dear God, If You watch me in Church Sunday. I’ll show You my new shoes. — Mickey D.
  • Dear God, I would like to live 900 years like the guy in the Bible. — Love, Chri
  • Dear God, We read Thomas Edison made light. But in school they said You did it. So, I bet he stoled Your idea. — Sincerely, Donna
  • Dear God, I do not think anybody could be a better God. Well, I just want You to know but I am not just saying that because You are God already. — Charles

Almighty Father

“Almighty Father, Son and Holy Ghost, eternal and ever blessed gracious God; to me the least of saints, to me allow that I should keep a door in paradise.   That I may keep the smallest door, the furthermost, the darkest, coldest door, the door which is the least used, the stiffest door.  If it so be but in thine house, O God, if so be that I can see thy glory even afar, and hear thy voice, O God, and know that I am with thee, thee O God.”

A Prayer of St. Columba, 521-597 AD

 

Bryan’s Note

We must travel some distance, before something like this will cling to our hearts.  Columba’s journey to the presence of Jesus most certainly gave him a perspective that enabled him to pray with this intensity and this humility.  We cannot dissuade ourselves of his effort and his overwhelming desire to be near Him.  We can only watch, and mark the zeal which took his heart and soul into the burning presence of His presence.  Columba becomes a guide of what is possible and what is to be sought.  We must become (if we are in pursuit) a people radically changed by the reality of His presence.

 

 

Photo: The Power of Unity

Photo:  The Power of Unity

When we come together, we receive from a shared strength, common to every believer.  Connected, we are resilient and strong, and it takes a very great deal to incapacitate us.  It seems that we are organically linked as believers, and that there exists a connection through the work and personality of the Holy Spirit.

That’s how it is with us. There are many of us, but we each are part of the body of Christ, as well as part of one another.  (Romans 12:5)

We must grip the reality that each one has a connection to Jesus AND a connection to each other.  It is not necessarily physical, but it is a real spiritual connection, like plugging into the wall socket.

Teaching Wonderful Things

Jesus Teaches Wonderful Things

The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” -Mark 6:2

 

When Jesus began to teach, people began to really listen.  The synagogue was definitely the perfect place for Him, and it was there He got a chance to explain things.  In many places, when this happens there is a casual and general acceptance of the lecturers tenets.  But with Jesus sharing there was amazement.  They were astonished at the things Jesus shared.  There was a wallop as He spoke, and for the first time common people were able to connect some “dots”.  They lit on this like ants at a picnic!

A large group together posed a question.  “Where” did this teaching come from?  This is so amazing!  But what is the source?  The teaching itself was not the issue, but is it from God or is it satanic?  And how did Jesus come by this teaching?  It is so profound!  Two words to describe listening to Him: Wisdom and Power.  Profound, but what is its source?

I think a real mystique began to develop around Jesus.  There was a real sense that He showed He was both capable and legitimate.  In His speaking He projected a power and grace which had never, ever been seen before.  The listeners had never before heard what this man intended to do. 

And we haven’t mentioned the miracles yet.  Jesus did some things that astonished the witnesses.  Although not listed in this account, they must have left an imprint.  When the blind man three chairs down is healed, you have to stand and take notice.  The miracle leaves you gasping, “Who is this?”

Jesus never accepted ambiguity.  He never accepted the idea of purposefully being vague and elusive.  He never contented Himself to hide in the shadows of “maybe”.  Direct and bold, He reaches out to the synagogue.  He gently draws the hearts of the inquisitive and seeking to Himself.