ADVENTure: The Loud, Noisy, Roaring, Life Changing, Not So Silent NightShembull

The Adventure:

Do your parents tell the same stories over and over again? Maybe it’s once a month, maybe it’s once a week, sometimes even once a day. They tell the story like you don’t have every word memorized and could tell it yourself. I’m sure it was probably a good story that made you laugh, the first one hundred times you heard it. Sometimes Bible stories can feel that way. Maybe you have grown up in church and feel like you know every Bible story backward and forward. I want to encourage you that there is always more to discover and rediscover in your Bible. That’s what makes reading your Bible an adventure!

One story you may not know about is King Josiah. As you read, Josiah was eight years old when he became king! Eight! My parents wouldn’t let me use the microwave at eight. But here’s the amazing thing Josiah was a good king! He does better than men of all ages and shows that kids can be good leaders and that kids can follow God. Josiah can be an example for all of us that our age doesn’t matter, our faith does. Josiah had faith in God and did not turn any other way.

Later on in Josiah’s life, they find an old copy of a section of the Bible. That’s how far away God’s people were from God they didn’t know where their Bibles were. When God’s people read God’s Word they realized how far they had gone from God. Josiah led God’s people to turn from their sins and apologize to God. Do you know what God did? He forgave. Imagine that. Imagine your parents forgetting you for years. Not months, years. They even lost your birth certificate and forgot what made you happy. Then one day they find your birth certificate and remember you exist. Would you be kind to your parents? Would you forgive them? No matter how you would answer, God’s answer is yes, He would forgive. Josiah shows anyone can follow God and be a good leader. Josiah also shows that anyone can come back to God and say they're sorry. No matter how far they’ve run from God, God is waiting with open arms for us to return.

The Destination:

The only reason we can truly return to God is Jesus. Jesus is the way to God. Christmas is so important because it is The Way being born. Jesus’ life and teachings show that He came for us to return to friendship with God and that is available for anyone and everyone. God wants us to return. Yes, we need to apologize, and yes we need to change our sinful actions, but God welcomes us just as we are and helps us follow Him from there.

Songs For The Journey:

Little Drummer Boy by For King and Country