Lessons from VBS

So, it has been way too long since I've blogged, so I'm back! :)

This week at our church is Vacation Bible School, a week that myself and my children look forward to each year. Johnny has even gotten involved for a couple of days and done some photography. (Which means I made the "Big Screen" this year, thank you honey. Not!!)

Anyway, my Madison has been hearing some Bible stories and enjoys telling me about them and drawing pictures. Yesterday was "The Good Samaritan". Her take on it was that a man took Jesus, who was hurt, put him on a donkey and took him to Samaricho. I've looked and looked but can not find Samaricho on a map in my Bible. Madison got parts of the story correct, but mixed up others.

How many times to I do that with God's Word? Today's story was of Forgiveness, the woman who was about to be stoned. Jesus asks the one who is without sin to throw the first stone, and one by one, the people drop their stones and walk away, until Jesus is the only one left. And what does He do? He tells her to "go and sin no more". Jesus, the only one who could have thrown a stone, didn't.

I hear that story and think how amazing it must have been to be that woman and have Jesus do that for me. And then I realize, He did do that for me. Sometimes I have to remind myself that He DID do that for me as well. It isn't just something for everybody else, it was for me too. My sins are forgiven, the choices that I made that were not in line with God's will for my life, are forgiven. I can rise up just like that woman so many years ago with Jesus, and determine to live my life as a follower of Christ.

One of the activities we did today was take some rocks, and put them at the foot of the Cross. That was symbolic of not carrying unforgiveness around with us. The lesson today encouraged us to forgive others and not hold a grudge. But for me, it also served as a reminder that I am forgiven as well.