Freely Given

We had a party. Our Junior and Senior High School Sunday School classes combined for an evening of food, fellowship and focus.

The girls were to bring their own potluck, and they did an excellent job. Spaghetti with garlic bread, chicken casserole and a mouth-watering meatloaf (I really need that recipe!) One senior had committed to bringing potato soup, but didn’t get it done. She called her dad and asked him to bring potatoes, onion, butter, milk, seasoning and within fifteen minutes she had the creamiest potato soup one could imagine. We did take notes. Maybe we can do that one!

So we had a good time with the food. And even more fellowship fun at the end of the program when two teams competed in building a gingerbread house. They started out evenly with a boxed set of building materials and a time limit. I didn’t get pictures on my camera, so today’s shot is just a photo of the purple cupcakes we had. Some of those cupcake tops went on the roof of the houses – first time I’ve seen purple snow!

The focus was the true highlight of the evening. Given by our Senior teacher, wife of our Youth Pastor, she brought us a timely yet timeless message. Our girls do not have much in the way of discretionary funds of their own. When they purchase Christmas gifts, funding comes out of the family budget.

Her lesson taught them there are gifts they could each give freely that had no cost, but returned them priceless gratitude.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) (Ephesians 6:1-2 KJV)

This is a most excellent gift that parents will cherish. Parents understand what children are:

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: (Psalms 127:3a KJV)

Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. (Proverbs 17:6 KJV)

Another is a gift they hold for their future husband. They all know girls who squandered the gift, throwing it away while changing their lives forever. The gift of purity for their husband is theirs to give. It is within them to have their husband say:

Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. (Song of Solomon 4:7 KJV)

It is within them to accomplish, and they know the difference between right and wrong:

Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. (Proverbs 20:11 KJV)

There will be strong temptations, but they have been given means to overcome them:

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV)

Still another gift is living their lives that others might see God in them:

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12 KJV)

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12 KJV)