This is just a blog about my thoughts, my family, my everyday life. Because I am a Christian and have ups and downs like everyone else, I hope it will encourage others to either turn to Christ for the first time, or lean on Him when times are rough. Often life is just random and funny. I started this blog after many years of writing to my church about our vacations. They began to encourage me to blog and finally I am. Thanks for reading.

"Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace!" Nahum 1:15

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. John Piper

Sunday, April 12, 2015

David and Who?

My Sunday School lesson for first and second graders was on David and Bathsheba.
I wrote on the board 'David and ____.'
They shouted, "Goliath! Jonathan!"  I then wrote 'Bathsheba.'
Hannah, my co-worker said, "You're not really going to teach that, are you?"
"I have to," I replied, "and you better back me up on this."
So, we began our story. (2 Samuel 11-12)
"It was springtime when kings usually go to war.  Kind of like our weather now, though I'm not sure why it was a time to fight."  (I looked at Hannah.)
She said, "I guess they are cooped up all winter and need to break out."
(I am thinking, 'it's a guy thing.  They always just want to go kill something.')
Me:  Yes, probably.  King David sent Joab and his servants and most of the people to battle the Ammonites, while he stayed in Jersualem.  Now it was late afternoon and David went walking on the roof.  He saw a beautiful woman bathing across the way.
My class - all 16 of them:  What???  Did he really?
Me:  Yes, and he asked someone who she was.  Her name was Bathsheba.  Learning that her husband was at war, he sent for her to come and see him and he loved her.  (At this point, Elijah put his fingers in his ears. Remember, these are six and seven year olds.)  And she went home and after a while, she discovered she was going to have David's baby.
Abby:  Wait a minute.  How did she know it was his baby and not her husband's?
Me:  Because her husband was away at war.  This was not a one day war.  It took a long time.
Abby:  I'm confused.  If she was married to Uriah, then how...
Me:  I know, Abby.  Ask your mom when you are older.  (Hoping that would satisfy her, I pressed on.) When David heard she was going to have a baby, he panicked and thought of a plan.  He called Uriah home, hoping he would spend time with his wife.  He asked Uriah how the war was going and all about the fighting.
Then I asked the kids if they had ever been nice to someone in order to work out an evil plan.  They all nodded, except for Alizabeth.  I told her she had done it, too.  Everyone has been nice in order to get what they wanted at some point in his/her life.
Me:  David tried to get Uriah to go home to his wife, but Uriah was a faithful soldier and would not 'have a party' while his men were fighting.  Finally, David sent a letter to Joab telling him to put Uriah on the front line of the war.
I then gave them an example.  "I am an Ammonite.  You guys are the Israelites.  Who will get killed first if I am shooting arrows or something?"
Class:  The ones closest to you.
Me:  Right. So those up front will die first.
Stevie:  Yea, but I think all of us could take you.
Me:  Don't bet on it.
So, we finished the story and then I asked, "What sins did David commit with his eyes, mouth, hands, feet, etc?"
I have to say, we have been covering the ten commandments and they nailed his sins.  "Adultery! Lying!  Stealing Bathsheba!  Murder!  Not loving God first!  Coveting!"  I was very proud of them for being able to quickly recognize the sins.
Then I told them that David repented and became a man after God's own heart.  I asked them why this was such good news for us.  They had to think a minute.  I answered my own question.  "If God can fogive David and make him clean again after doing all he did, then God can make us clean, and we too, can have hearts fashioned for Him."
I love my class. They get it.
And I am sure that Abby and her mom will have a discussion of some sort later today.




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