This is another youth service my husband and I did with the youth at our church last night:
There was once a baby camel, who one day asked his mother, “Mama? Why do we have these big hoof feet?” and his mother replied, “We were made to walk in the desert and our big feet keep us from sinking into the soft sand.”
“Oh,” said the baby camel, then “Mama? Why do we have these really long eyelashes?”
“We were made to be in the desert and they are to keep the sand out of our eyes.”
“Oh,” “Mama? Why do we have these humps on our backs?”
“That’s also part of our design for living in the desert. They store water for a long time because there’s no water there.” “Oh.” “So, mama…? If we’re designed to live in the desert…why are we in a zoo?”
Forgive me in advance for comparing a church to a zoo. But, we Christians are designed to be out in the world, sharing God’s message to unbelievers and serving people who need help and hope – not
just coming to church for an hour or two on Sunday mornings, maybe Sunday nights and possibly another hour or two on Wednesday nights.
We’ve heard over and over again that believers are to be God’s hands and feet. – That means we should be up on our feet and moving. But, there are a couple reasons why Christians stay in the zoo.
First - many people wait and wait for God to reveal His will for their particular life. They keep thinking they’re going to find it miraculously written on the wall or that some prophet is going to track them down with a message from God - and they spend so much time waiting for Him to show them what one “big” thing he wants them to do – that they never
do anything.
The other reason they might stay in the zoo is because there is so much hurt in the world and so many problems. We’re overwhelmed. We see the pictures of starving people in third world countries, of people with awful diseases, of war-torn countries, of people who don’t know God, of people who suffer from abuse. We go to big cities and see people sleeping on sidewalks with a newspaper for a blanket or blind people begging on the side of the road. We hear about school shootings and abortions – 46 MILLION babies killed…that we know about. And we wonder how can I help all that? There’s too much suffering. I’m just one person.
So often we don’t do anything.
God’s will for us isn’t a secret. And we don’t have to wait to find out what it is. The Bible is filled with what God’s will is for all believers: - share the gospel, love God first and foremost, love others as ourselves, serve others in His name, show Jesus to the world and on and on. If we each concentrate on doing His “general” will faithfully, He will reveal more and more an individual plan for us.
We might not be the one who becomes a missionary. But, if we faithfully do God’s general will and give money to missions we can support the person who does. We may not go into the ministry, but if we teach Sunday school or help with the youth we may show Christ to a person who does become a minister. Godly parents raising their kids in a Christian home may not go out and teach the Bible to prisoners, - but their kids might.
There are many ways to be God’s hands and feet. We aren’t all called to do
everything. But, we are all called to do
something.
Do song “I Am Your Hands” on power point for everyone to sing.
Then tell story: There were 3 business men racing to catch the last flight on a Friday that would get them home in time for dinner. As they ran through the airport they crashed into an apple cart that a young girl was selling apples from. Apples went everywhere, but the men didn’t stop because they were so late. When they got to the gate the plane was already boarding so they got in line. Then one man couldn’t stand it and told the others, “You guys go ahead, I’ll catch a later flight.”
He went back to the apple cart and what he saw broke his heart. The girl was blind and she was on her hands and knees groping for the apples and crying. And no one was stopping to help because they were all too much in a hurry.
He got down on his knees and started picking up the apples. He saw that many were split and bruised so he set those aside and when the stand was put back together he handed her some money saying, “We wrecked a bunch of your apples. You won’t be able to sell them, so I’ll buy them.”
As the girl took the money she asked him, “Mister, are you Jesus?”
As far as I know no one has ever thought that about me. But, wouldn’t it be great if they did? What a great goal for life!
Play the song “Life Song” and tell youth that while it is playing they should decide on one thing they can do that week to be God’s hands and feet, then go up and trace theirs on the paper (already labeled “Starting Today I Promise to be God’s Hands and Feet – November 4, 2007).
Circle up – say “One last thought - There is a lot of big visible suffering in the world, but there is also a lot of silent suffering. People you may know really well who get up every morning and put on a mask to hide whatever pain they are going through. God sees every bit of suffering and He wants us to see it too.
You’ve all heard people after some huge tragedy ask, “Where was God when that happened” God was in His church, in every person who helped and cared and prayed. We can all make life a little easier for people around us by just being aware of them, seeing their needs and being quick to be the one who steps forward with a helping hand.
Last time we talked about being God’s lights and I hope you’ve remembered while out in the world to reflect His light. Lets add remembering to be His hands and feet now.”
Prayer –
Lord, there are so many opportunities to serve You. Please help us to be more aware of them and to willingly and enthusiastically do everything we can to make Your Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. As always we come to You through Your Son Jesus Christ and it’s in His name we pray. Amen.Labels: hands and feet of God, Where was God in the tragedy?, Youth Service
