Theology

Theology.  It's a word burdened by associations. Yet in it's purest form it simply describes what we know about God.  It's complicated by the differences that occur in our understanding about what God has communicated and what it means.  I think about that a lot when I approach the daunting task of helping my children to know about God, so that it can help them to know God.   I want to be their guide, I want to show them God's love and character and help them to understand when I don't, and how much more loving and holy God is than me.  I want to teach them the Scriptures. But I also want to take my own filters out of the picture at some point.  I want to help them to learn to listen for themselves, for the Holy Spirit to become their most important teacher. It's a good thing Scripture uses metaphors to help each of us to understand what God is like.  Especially when it comes to explaining the Holy Spirit.  The best way is to experience the metaphors yourself.  Wednesday was the perfect day for it.  I knew it the moment I stepped outside with Sam and the warm wind hit my face.  So after some early morning math and spelling we loaded Sarah, a blanket, water, and some apples in the wagon. (I'm trying to make Bible their favorite class.)

"What's the Holy Spirit like?" I asked the girls.

They looked at me and shrugged their shoulders.

"The Bible helps us to know what God is like by comparing him to things that we know. There is a verse in the Bible that says the Holy Spirit is like the wind.  So during our walk today I want you to pay attention to the wind and tell me what you notice about it and I'll write it down."

They seemed pretty excited.  Just as we crossed the road we walked under a huge chestnut tree.  The wind was gusting all around us and drpped a few of chestnuts the size of tennis balls on top of us.

"The wind can knock things down!" said Grace.

Then she grabbed a few chestnuts and hoisted them up to knock more down.

Sarah has been miserable with allergies and was content to stay in the wagon, but as the warm wind started whipping through her hair a smile brightened her face. 

"It makes you smile," I thought.

Then we turned to the crops behind us.  Stunning bright yellow and green leaves glowed in the morning sun. The wind rippled and curved them up, down, and around.  Grace and Emily couldn't resist and ran into the middle of the field.

"The wind makes waves!" Em yelled.

The wind causes movement. 

"Mom, it's so strong it makes my eyes water.  It makes me cry!" said Grace.

Couldn't have said it any better Grace.

"Sometimes it's soft, sometimes it's strong," Emily said. 

After we'd played out our excitement in the fields we made our way up the hill. 

Em looked up at the enormous trees overhead and pointed, "Look, it makes the trees bow down!"

They do look like they're worshipping don't they? 
Sarah had enough of the wagon and took off across the grass.

We noticed a few other things:

The wind can blow things away.

You can feel it.

You can hear it.

You can't see it but you can see things that are moved by it.

It can move people. (Especially when they are in a wagon on a slope...oops!)

It feels good to have the wind blow on your face.

It makes things go faster...it's easier to walk the way it's blowing than against it.

We made our way over to a gigantic tree who's thick braches hang low to the ground.  The girls love to play on them.  I tossed them each an apple and was fussing with my camera.  I turned and saw Em resting on a branch, gently rocked by the wind. 

Yes, He sways us in His rythms. 

We hung out for a while on a blanket and read John 3:8
"The wind blows (breathes) where it wills; and though you hear its sound, yet you neither know where it comes from nor where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (AMP)

We talked about how the Holy Spirit is real, how He moves, that He is in us, and that we need to listen for His whispering.

I don't know how much sunk in, but in a sense, I know that part is up to Him.  It is my job to give them truth, He is the only one who can apply it to their hearts.  I'm not sure who got more out of the lesson that day--the girls or me, but I pray that the Spirit who lives in us will manifest these truths in and through us all.  And I'm praying that He will whisper to them and that they will know His voice.