Tonight I sat and watched as 8 young Christians spoke about the Atoning Death of Jesus Christ. Every week for six weeks we have watched them grow in their faith yet every week it brings me to tears to see the spark in their eyes as they speak about the amazing Word of God. And tonight especially as we ended our study with worship led by yet another teen who sang his heart out for Christ right there in my living room. These young Christians are teenagers. Most not Christians more than three years and if they have been, they had definitely not counted the cost of what Christ calls us to be. Not until now that is. These young believers began as a group of 29 youth kids joining a bible study that was 8 weeks in length. As the weeks went by several kids had a desire to go deeper in their study of Christ. My husband and I waited and prayed. We waited to see who really had a desire to go deeper and we offered 15 dedicated kids out of the 29 the opportunity to do a discipleship class that would be ongoing for several months. Out of the 15, we have 8 solid, solid, hungry teenagers that get better and better understanding by the week on what it means to follow Jesus. Ever week I see them have a genuine desire to be more Christlike in every way.
I want so badly to just shelter them from all that I know is ahead. The struggle to find faith, the disappointments, the betrayal of man, the rejection! All of the pain that Jesus promises we will endure if we stay faithful till the end. But even as I listened to my own two teenage boys speak of their understanding of the precious blood that was shed that horrific day when our Savior was hung on a cross and put to death, I realize we have the opportunity to choose to deepen our relationship with Christ. These young believers are choosing Christ! They are saying "I know the cost of denying myself and I choose to pick up my cross and bear it." And this is such a beautiful thing. These young Christians are learning about what it takes to make a true disciple of Christ and they are stepping out in faith towards the path of righteousness. They are learning what it means to find their strength and comfort in HIM and not man. They are taking advantage of the season of their youth by preparing themselves to become healthy, strong men and woman of God. To understand that it is easy to hold tight to Christ in the midst of joy and celebration but quite a different thing to hold tight to Christ in the midst of pain, lonliness and disappointment. These Christians are getting a taste of leadership! They are young in flesh but wise in spirit for they themselves chose the path of the courageous. And oh how courageous will they be if they hold firm to His Word during these prevalent times! If they could really grasp the understanding that some of our hardest lessons are learned during our trials if we will just turn in intimacy to our Protector Jesus Christ.
Lord God, Prepare the hearts of these young believers to walk with you always. Give them the strength to endure the pain and humiliation they may endure as followers of you Lord God. Give them the wisdom to know Lord how to lay down their life and wait with long suffering until the day of your return Jesus. Lord,
Let no one despise them for your youth, but see them as an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.
