Give Me Child-Like Faith...

Well~ I Blew It this past week.

(I just thought you should know.)

(Amplified Bible)
"16For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
17For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him."

~John 3:16-17

"What does "Condemned" mean again, Mama?"

That was the question my six year old asked me as he hopped in the car last week after his Bible Study class.

We headed to McDonald's for his late dinner- plain cheeseburger, and chocolate shake. (By the way, this is NOT were I blew it-he is my skinny boy, who needs all the calories he can get in...)

(French)

"16Car Dieu a tant aimé le monde qu'il a donné son Fils unique, afin que quiconque croit en lui ne périsse point, mais qu'il ait la vie éternelle.
17Dieu, en effet, n'a pas envoyé son Fils dans le monde pour qu'il juge le monde, mais pour que le monde soit sauvé par lui."

~Jean 3:16-17

I knew what he was referring to-John 3: 16, and 17..That was in our study of the book of John, and that was what his homework was about. So I explained, "Condemned means when someone who doesn't believe in God and the gift of his Son, Jesus, they are condemned to a life without the happiness and peace that God gives."

(Spanish)
"De tal manera amó Dios al mundo 16 Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna.
17 Porque no envió Dios a su Hijo al mundo para condenar al mundo, sino para que el mundo sea salvo por él."

~Juan 3:16-17

As we pulled up to the window at McDonald's to pay and the lady opens the window, I hear my sweet son say,

"Well, tell her, mom! You need to TELL HER."

(Arabic Life Application Bible)
"16 لأَنَّهُ هكَذَا أَحَبَّ اللهُ الْعَالَمَ حَتَّى بَذَلَ ابْنَهُ الْوَحِيدَ، لِكَيْ لاَ يَهْلِكَ كُلُّ مَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِهِ، بَلْ تَكُونُ لَهُ الْحَيَاةُ الأَبَدِيَّةُ.
17 فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَمْ يُرْسِلِ ابْنَهُ إِلَى الْعَالَمِ لِيَدِينَ الْعَالَمَ، بَلْ لِيَخْلُصَ الْعَالَمُ بِهِ،"

I blanked.

I handed my money, as a three point sermon is running through my brain, and all the scriptures of the Roman Road-BUT- I said nothing except "Thank You-"

and collected my son's meal...

I said nothing to her.

I completely blanked-

And that's how I blew it.

My son learned John 3:16, and 17-and he had such conviction, and such childlike faith-

and I (who KNOWS and is so grateful for my faith in Jesus) blanked.

(New Living Translation)
"16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him."
~John 3:16-17

As we pulled from the window-I stopped the car, and handed my son his meal.

I looked at him, and said,

"Honey, I blew that, didn't I? I didn't know what to say to her. What could I say next time? Because I want to try that again next week. Dancing Boy-what do you think I should say?"

(The Message)
"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

~John 3:16-18

He didn't even skip a beat.

He hardly even blinked, and reminded me,

"Mommy, all you have to say is, 'Remember that God loves you'."

(New International Version)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

~John 3:16-17

What is something you have learned from observing your children's Childlike Faith in God?

What does John 3:16, and 17 mean to you?

{And like Dancing Boy said, Remember, God LOVES you so much!}

{Hope to see you next Tuesday for Bible study! Homework: John 4: 1-30}