yeah, value

Tomorrow is Day 1 of our VBS. I am director by default. Children's Ministry is not my highest area of gifting but when there's a hole, ya fill it right? And I believe God gives grace when we're willing to step up to the plate.

Actually last year God birthed in me a passion for the kids that we ministered to and I expect Him to pour His heart and love through me again this year. This is THE generation, right? The generation of greatness. The generation to see the End of the Age. If so, it's a privilege to be able to point these young hearts toward Jesus and the Cross.

I so want this generation (my girls included) to know the reality of God in their lives. To know the immense love He has for them. And the amazing plans and purposes He has for their lives.

Tonight we had our '20-somethings' group...the one where we're discussing the book "Sex God". One of the chapters we were talking about tonight was "Worth Dying For". All about the value God has placed on human life. He put so much value on this one aspect of His creation, that He actually became 'one of us'. THAT is really a powerful thought.

I don't think we know much about value anymore. I think even in Christianity (maybe especially?) we've really de-valued God's prize creation. We think we have value when we are 'like God'. And feel like the scum of the earth when we're not. Don't get me wrong, we are to strive to become more like our Maker but often we lose sight of the fact that we are created Human. And Jesus came to give His life for me, as a part of humanity.

I want my girls to know their value in Christ. Not some 'healthy self-esteem' garbage, but their value to our Creator as His prize creation. When we begin to realize the value God placed on us - while we were yet sinners - we begin to really fall in love with Him and want to please Him in everything we do. How could you not fall in love with Someone who risked it all to say "I love you and want to know you and I'm going to prove it by becoming like you"?

This week I'm going to attempt to point each child to that Someone. That Someone who loves them 100% no matter who they are, no matter where they live, no matter where they go to church, or don't. And maybe, just maybe, some of these kids will fall in love this week.

In love with the One who put so much value on their little human life that He became one of them. Really. He came as a baby, lived through being 3, then 6, then 10. Just like them. All because an Awesome, He's-so-much-higher-than-me, kind of God took on my form. The Creator becoming the Creation. It doesn't get any crazier than that, does it? But that's what He did. All so He could demonstrate His love, His extravagant love for us. Yeah, value.