we had this Bible Study group in Kansas City while I was in seminary. it was a great group, about 9 of us from different churches, denominations would get together, share a snack and study the word. love those people, miss them too. (even if i never say it, i'm awful at keeping up with people...even my own mother, ask her about my first few months of college. sorry, tangent...) We were going through pieces of Luke for a time and throughout the weeks we unpacked how one of the themes in the book is that the Gospel of Jesus, that Jesus is not for just a select group of people, but for all of creation. what a great journey, we had different people in that group, people with a passion of foreign missions and urban missions. we were all encouraged and confirmed with what we knew we already believed, that the Gospel is not for those like me or those in a specific group, back the Gospel, the kingdom of God is inclusive. if you're breathing, if you've been created, if you've been born...you're in.
last week we sat in the backyard, listening to a dear friend share with our community about her experience in Africa, we all sat listening to her share stories of God speaking to everyone at that conference..and when she shared that the one thing we all should hear and think on over the next week was the inclusive nature of the kingdom, i of course jumped (not literally, that would have been funny) with excitement. YES, YES, it is...the gospel isn't mine to possess, it's not for Europeans, Republicans, Democrats, Suburban Middle Class Value holding people, poor people...the good news is for us all. in our community filled with people from every tribe tongue and nation, that is a message we constantly need to hear.
as we came to a close and I began to challenge everyone to think of one practical way they could begin to practice inclusiveness as a discipline, i thought i kind of had it in the bag. this will be easy for me. as we all sat for a moment reflecting on what way that would be so we could share it for accountability, imagine my shock when God clearly nudged me to think about those i've often left outside of my own pursuit of my creator. Dom, Eli, and Mia.
know hear me, we pray, we read Bible Stories, we teach them about how Jesus would have has treat our friends, our family...but I am constantly trying to 'get away' from my kids so i can 'get with' God. i was looking forward to an easy week of responding to our communities' challenge and found myself entering territory that was utterly foreign to me. include some of the young men from the neighborhood...got it. adults who don't look, think, or act like me...not a problem, this is North Portland, you can't go a day without doing that. My 5,4 and 7 month old. *gulp*
it was a fruitful week. every night when we put the kids to bed we sing them a song, usually it is the Barney closing song (yeah, i know), the ABCs, Mary Had a Little Lamb, or Jesus Loves Me. I've always sung TO them, the idea of singing with them never crossed my mind. so this week, I began to ask Eli to sing with me and made sure Jesus Loves Me was a part of every night's routine, it became an opportunity to worship in music with my lil man.
one night he asked me, "Dad, can we sing Jesus is Alive?"
me: "I don't know that one buddy, can you teach me?"
eli: "Sure, it goes like this: Jesus is Alive, YEAH. Jesus is Alive, YEAH. Jesus is Alive. YEAH YEAH YEAH.
me: i'd love to sing that with you buddy.
so there we laid, singing the song he made up as we went, and i found myself rejoicing in the reality of Jesus being Alive, of his kingdom including my 4 year old, and very thankful for the challenge to include them in my pursuit of him.
I asked Eli to sing the song again the next morning, it was a bit different than the night before, but never the less...for your opportunity to worship in song along with my 4 year old. Love you Eli. Thank you Jesus.
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