GROWING YOUNG

​When I was in year 5 at school, I had the BEST school teacher ever. Her name was 'Miss E' (short for Eagleton), she liked Winnie the Pooh (and so did I), and her mum went to my church. I loved being in her class. For a long time, I wanted to be a teacher, just like her. 

As I grew up, I became more concerned for the many young people who didn't have a faith in Jesus - now there's even young people in Australia who have never heard a proper story about Jesus (can you believe it?!). While I was still discerning where God might take me in my life during the University years - whether primary school or ministry - the big kicker for me was that I LOVED teaching the kids about Jesus. And the amazing thing about the message of Jesus is sharing the hope we have in Him. While I felt a special calling from God to share the good news with the next generation, the bible shows us a continual pattern of God's people taking on this job together too. 

As a nation, Israel was always looking to the next generation. Time and time again, they are reminded by God and their leaders not to be 'like their ancestors - a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God' (Ps. 78:8 - think that complaining 'wilderness' generation), but instead to look towards the next generation coming after them for the sole purpose of them trusting in the Lord (Ps. 78:6). Their job, as a whole nation, was to pass on the amazing things God had done for them, his special words and promises to them, and to teach their children there's a God who loves them. Their job was to keep 'growing young' and pass on the faith to the next generations. It didn't fall to just the parents of the one family, nor did the parents send them off to church and never speak about God at home... it was a whole-of-life passing-on-of-the-faith with the 'whole village' supporting one another. 

As we consider the good news Jesus brings - that anyone can enter the Kingdom of God through him - who are we looking to share that news with? Who are we passing on our faith to? Not just as individuals, but as a whole church. Together, how can we be 'growing young' and passing on our faith to the next generations? 

Can I encourage you to hold that question before God this week and pray about it, for it, and for each other. Pray that together, we may see this village here in Mount Eliza transformed with the good news of Jesus going out to all the generations. Amen. 

Amy