VBS

"Did Jesus really die?"  The brown eyed girl asks as she looks up into my face at Vacation Bible School.  

"Yes, He did."  I tell her. "He had to die on the cross to pay for our sins." 

"Did it hurt?"  she asks.

Wow. . . I think, did it hurt?  How can I explain that His pain was more than anyone in the world has ever endured.  Did it hurt as they drove the nails and whipped the flesh and pressed the thorns on tender brow?  Did it hurt when friends betrayed and disciples lied and mother cried?  Did it hurt as God turned and Father forsook Son?  Oh, it hurt. . . more than we could ever know or imagine.

I tell her simply of the nails and the thorns.  I tell her of the cross as she looks at me with wide eyes. 
I tell her that He died for her.

"But that's not all,"  I whisper, "three days later He rose from the dead.  He is alive again and now He lives in heaven."

We have hope because He lives!  He has defeated death and hell!  Praise Him!
But the cross came before the crown, the pain before the praise, death before life.

"You can believe on Him and be saved," I say.

Her heart is not quite ready to open and let Him in.  But now she knows.  She knows of the love of a Savior who loved her enough to die for her.  She knows, and the seed of that knowledge I pray will grow into the fruit of salvation in her life.  I pray one day she will give Him her life, because He already gave His life for her.


Thankful for . . .
170.  Vacation Bible School
171.  Fun songs to praise Him
172.  Meeting new little ones who already want to hold your hand and sit on your lap
173.  Making crafts and memories
174.  Sign language
175.  Message giving joy
176.  Sweet tea for a wake me up in the morning
177.  The smell of new tennis shoes
178.  Faith stories