Little Lessons of Love

So today I came up with what I was going to say to the kids at VBS... I was getting really frustrated and I'm still a little scared of their reactions, even though they're half my size and usually really sweet. But as I was reading the Bible background for each days lesson, day 4 really amazed me, I had never heard it taught quite like this. After Jesus's cruifixication, the disciples were out fishing. They hadn't had much luck when a man on the beach told them to cast their nets to a certain spot, and when they did they caught a whole bunch of fish. When the discples realized that the man on the beach was Jesus, they hurried back to the shore. There Jesus cooked them breakfast.

Back in the "olden days," when someone made you a meal and you ate together, it was a way of reconciliation and a time of bonding, and often before you would sit down to eat, you would make a covenant of peace. Keep in mind that many of the disciples had fled after his arrest, fearing for their lives, especially peter, who it was prophecied about that he would deny Jesus three times. So this meal was more symbolic than what it appears, a little campfire cook-out. This meal was Jesus's way of telling the disciples that they were forgiven for their sins, and that He still loved them, even with their faults, and He could still use them to save lost sinners, He even wanted to use them!

This story is so beautiful, so merciful, a kind of love I've never even thought about giving. I know I would have a really hard time forgiving someone who literally left me to die; thats one of the reasons I'm glad that God is so much bigger than I am. Jesus forgives me like this every day, every time I fall away from Him He never leaves, Hes Just ready to pick me back up again, knowing that it won't be the last time He has to. In my relationship He gives so much, and loves so much, but in return what does He get? From me, alot of times its nothing. Yet with all of my faults, He still gives me the great honor of using me to carry out His work. He still allows me the blessing of living this great adventure with Him at my side, never knowing whats going to happen next, yet I'm not scared, because He has promised me that He will never leave me, never forsake me. My God is so great!!!