If we're honest, often times at Bible Club we feel like we are shouting the gospel over the chaos, wondering if anyone can hear us, wondering if it's making any difference at all... volunteers, can I get an "amen" that I'm not alone in that?
As we've been teaching peace the last few weeks, I feel the tension. Peace probably wouldn't be the first word that came to mind if you asked someone to describe life in our community. Yet, here we are, proclaiming that peace is possible... right in the middle of breaking up fights & dodging rocks as they fly through the air.
Jesus offers us peace. He IS our peace.
I prayed that God would make the reality of His peace visible to me this Sunday. Please, just give me a glimpse to remind me that it is possible. He faithfully answered. He always does.
As Jason began walking the boys through the gospel, I saw it. I had the privilege of popping in just in time to see part of the gospel, that good news we've shared countless times, finally click. The Spirit made a little lightbulb turn on above one of our boy's head. Eyes suddenly locked in on that gospel picture - fully in tune, listening & asking questions - 1 minute ago he was distracting the group, talking over Jason, mumbling rude things. How does that happen?
The power of the gospel. The power of Jesus offering us peace with God when it's the last thing we deserve. The power of peace standing strong in a war zone.
"Wait, why would I have to die?! Why would you say that Jesus had to die for me?!"
It just so happened I had a little incident with this child the day before. What I thought was a random encounter, where I was in the right place at the right time (or wrong time, depending on who you ask), turned out to be God's detailed attention to the child He is pursuing. He was making the gospel personal to him. I knew the specific sin that was fresh on this child's mind, I knew that peace was far from him in this moment, & I knew which real life example to give to explain the work of Christ on the cross for us in a context he would understand. The perfect moment. God had it rigged. Suddenly what completely confused me just a few hours ago all made sense. I knew why it all happened & I got to see a little bit of what God was up to.
The rest of Bible Club, this child was calm & peaceful. The anger had somehow disappeared.
It's not my job to make it "click." It's not my job to save. It's my job to keep showing up, carrying the gospel of peace, even on the days when I feel no one can hear it over the chaos. The Spirit does the rest. Just wait on His faithful timing.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, & is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, & those who hear will live.
John 5:25”
Thank you, faithful Bible Club Volunteers! You continue to show up, speaking & living out the gospel, even on the hard days. We are thankful to wait on those moments with you, when the Spirit moves & we are reminded that nothing is wasted.
We always need more friendly faces at Bible Club! If you're interested in joining the family & serving with us on Sunday afternoons, just contact Raquel to start the conversation. You can be a part of Bible Club twice a month or you may just love it so much that you'll have to come every Sunday! ;)