It happens almost every Thursday at 4:00 in the afternoon! Our doorbell rings and standing there are our two precious neighbor children. If the weather is warm, they are peering in through the glass to see if anyone is coming to let them in. Their anticipation for Bible Club is infectious! For almost two years, these two have made their trek across our yard to learn God’s Word! They have become like grandchildren to us!
I wish you could have seen them yesterday helping my wife bake cookies which served as their object lesson. Each of them had their own bowl to mix their ingredients as well as their own set of gooey chocolate chip cookies on their own cooking sheet. As I watched this process, here’s what I saw:
- Cam loves to eat and who doesn’t like to indulge in a dollop of cookie dough!! So there he was, hanging over the mixing bowl, eagerly looking back-and-forth at my wife, and asking several times, “Can I lick that?!?!” What a sight! And, when he had his first opportunity to eat a baked cookie, he didn’t even wait to see if my wife had the milk poured. With gusto he asked, “Can I have some milk, please? I wanna dunk my cookie!” And dunk he did!
- Cal is of a different personality, of course, but in her polite way, she too was eager to partake of those warm morsels. She also dunked her cookie in her milk but in such a girlie fashion. How precious to listen to her pray and thank the Lord for their snack.
What makes all of this so wonderfully joyful? Without a doubt, the pure act of discipleship that takes place in our living room, kitchen, backyard, porch and/or dining room every Thursday. Yesterday, I watched Denise, with great patience, instruct with great detail how to proceed through each step of baking cookies. And when all was said and done, the “disciples” absolutely enjoyed what they had learned, and the “discipler’s” heart was filled with great satisfaction, contentment and joy! The “disciples” even ran home with great joy to show and share with their parents what they had learned!
When you are involved in discipleship, what a rich blessing to teach a hungry soul the ingredients of God’s Word. When they taste and see that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8), they are excited to go share their joy and what they have learned with others (John 4:29).
We have a commission, not a suggestion (Matthew 28:18-20). God’s way is always perfect (Psalm 18:30). His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 9:8). Are their children in your neighborhood who need “cookie lessons” during their summer break?
I sure hope your “doorbell” is ringing this summer!
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)
From A Pastor's Heart 