We have been allowed to have a student prayer meeting every Monday after school at the school I volunteer at. We’re amazed by this! The doors keep opening in places we never thought would be possible. It truly is for His Glory, and His Glory alone. We’ve invited students who have shown an active interest in the Lord, prayer and worship. Its unlike any other children’s program we’ve done. Its wonderful. There has not been any dicipline issues, pressuring kids to come, coming up with curriculum etc. This has been very freeing for me, not feeling that I had to perform in a sense or keep the kids entertained. We’ve basically sat and prayed. We’ve sung the Word. We’ve only been able to do it a couple times so far (pray for this) but the times that we’ve done it have been incredible. The kids truly want to be there and to pray. They have been comfortable with praying and have even stepped in new ways such as praying what it says in the passage we’re focusing on. Its powerful having the kids praying for their own school and for the things they see right before their own eyes. I see the Lord leading their prayers as they’ve prayed the same things I’ve prayed for, such as raising up the younger ones to pray once they, the sixth graders, are gone. I see how much better it is to embrace what the Spirit is doing rather than trying to create something yourself…
Last week we asked the kids what they wanted to pray for regarding their school. They said FORGIVENESS. That struck me as really important but I wouldn’t have thought to pray about that! As we prayed I saw how much forgiveness is needed between students and adults at the school.
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” -Eph 4:32
On Wednesday of that week I was on my way out of the school when my friend, a sixth grade teacher, stopped me. She told me how disrespectful the kids had been and she had just rewarded the six kids in her class that were listening to her and that it would only be the six that would be able to come to her “surprize birthday party” the next day. I was very disappointed to hear that the two boys that were at the prayer meeting were part of the class that got in trouble.
The next day the teacher woke up sensing that God did not want her to punish the kids any longer. She knew she had had some difficult things going on and that she had taken some of her frustruation out on punishing the kids which was not right. They had already punished the kids enough. So, that morning when she came to school she told her class that and asked for their forgiveness! That is an amazing show of humility for a teacher to admit where she had been wrong. The kids in turn asked for forgivness for how they acted. That is even more amazing. They were all forgiven. They all got to come to the surprize party that really was not a surprize because they could not keep it a secret! They were so adorable though in their excitement, their teacher was asked all day if it was time for the party (that she wasn’t suppose to know about!) , or time to go get their grapefruits (yes, one student brought grapefruits for a treat!). As I was walking up the school one girl yelled out my name that I was there, as if it was time to start the party, when there was still an hour…. There are many times I just have to chuckle!
On Monday we didn’t know that situation that would be in need of forgiveness. You led the students. We prayed. You answered. This is the only way I want to live. Thank you Jesus.
