Sunday

I taught children's church today and it was awesome. The leader had given me a heads-up that the lesson was very sad and dark and I should try to make it more positive. I was appalled when I read it over: the whole lesson was about how we've all sinned so we all deserve to die and go to hell - and then it said, come back next week to hear the rest.

We did the "glass of milk" trick where just a small spoonful of dirt makes the whole glass of milk undrinkable, worthy only of being thrown out. The kids were so attentive. Of course I went on to explain that if you let Jesus die instead of you, you don't have to go to hell. I quizzed one girl - "So if someone goes to heaven does that mean they were really good?" She still didn't understand and before I dismissed them to do their coloring pages, I told them they could come talk to me if they weren't sure whether they were going to heaven or hell.

The same girl came up to me crying and said she thought she was going to hell because even though she'd asked Jesus into her heart, she still sinned! I explained some verses to her like nothing can separate us from the love of God and how his sacrifice cleanses all her sins, even the future ones. She was so happy to be reassured!

I know when I was a kid I must have asked Jesus to come into my heart eight times, just to be sure. Hell is the monster under the bed for the Christian child. How many times is it that people need to hear the gospel before they understand it? Even after accepting it, we still need more understanding, and I was blessed to be part of that today for one little girl.

And it's sunny!

Since my car battery is dead AGAIN Angela is going to pick me up and we'll go to church together!