God's Love

Who is God? How do we understand the character and the nature of God? How do we teach children to know God? Last week, we looked at the holiness of God. This week let's consider his love. I'm reminded of a song we sing in church: Think about his love, think about his goodness, think about his grace that brought us through, for as high as the heavens above great is the measure of our Father's love. Dunlop lists five characteristics of God: mercy, grace, love, faithfulness, and truth. Which of these characteristics are most dear to you? Why?

Father, your love for us is beyond anything we can think or imagine. You don't just tell us that you love us, but you showed your love by sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Your love is amazing--steady and unchanging. Your love is mountain firm beneath our feet. Your love is a mystery--how you gently lift us. When we are surrounded, your love carries us. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

God's Holiness

Dunlop writes, "God's holiness makes the Cross necessary. God's justice makes the Cross make sense. God's righteousness reminds us that we cannot do anything for ourselves and that we're not doing God a favor by grudingly coming to Him if He asks politely." Ouch! So often in our lives as well as in our teaching we focus exclusively on God's love and care, while ignoring God's anger and judgment. When we speak of God's holiness, we mean his separateness or his otherness. His set-apart-ness means that he cannot tolerate our sin. Our actions are utterly offensive to him. His holiness demands that our sinfulness be punished. Every human being from the Fall until today in January 2012 deserves to be kept separate from his holiness for all eternity. But...and it's a really big BUT...God showed his great love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). We minimize the love of God when we neglect the holiness of God. The severity of his judgment reveals the depth of his mercy.

This week think about God's holiness. Why does understanding God's holiness matter? How does understanding God's holiness inform our teaching of preschoolers and children? What verses speak to you about God's holiness?

The Heights of God's Power, The Depths of God's Love

Read chapter one "Is That God Under That Microscope?"

Before we can teach about God, we need to know God. Notice I didn't say know about God, but to know God himself. When we think about God, we can use the words transcendent and immanent to describe him. Transcendence refers to his absolute magnificence as Creator, the One who is beyond all we could ever think or imagine. Immanence refers to his intimate, loving care for his creation, the One who is near and present in our daily lives. God calls us both as teachers and as learners to "align our thoughts and our lives with who He is" (16).

Respond to this question in light of God's revelation of himself to you.

How have you seen God's transcendence or his immanence in your life? In other words, how has he revealed his majesty or his comfort to you?

Father, as we consider your greatness and your nearness we are humbled that you chose to reveal yourself to us. All we know about you comes from knowing you. Help us to know you more, to love you more, and to be more like Jesus. Amen.

Welcome!

Welcome to Transforming Teachers! A new ministry blog for preschool and children's teachers at Heritage Baptist Church. The purpose of this blog is to provide a weekly touch point for teachers to strengthen your walk with Christ and your teaching of his children. This will be an experiment in teacher training for all of us. So thanks ahead of time for your enthusiasm and your patience as we learn together.

Our guide for these conversations will be Follow Me as I Follow Christ: A Guide for Teaching Children in a Church Setting. The process, as I envision it now, is for all of us to read and respond to a chapter each week. (Don't panic it's only 2-3 pages.) On Monday, I'll post a question that challenges us to think about that week's chapter. We'll learn more together if we all try to post a brief comment related to the question or the chapter. The more of us who participate the greater our learning will be! No grammar grades or writing awards so don't panic here either...just write from your heart and your experiences in the church classroom. We'll be guided by reverence for our Lord and respect for each other.

Pray with me as we begin this journey together...

Father, thank you for these women and men who touch the lives of preschoolers and children each week. They are making an eternal difference in your Kingdom. Give us wisdom as we work through Follow Me as I Follow Christ. May we consciously follow you each moment of each day. I pray blessings on the lives of my friends and colleagues in ministry as we seek to honor you by teaching your children. Amen.