Personalized Faith

PERSONALIZED FAITH
Judges 2:6-12
V. 10: “After that whole generation [Israelites whom Joshua had led into Canaan], had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what He had done for Israel.”

After their prayer for Marshall’s sister, (see Sure Victory devotion), Greg, Timmy, and Marshall continued sitting on the bench. Timmy asked, “Do you feel that peace?”

Nodding his head, Marshall said, “Yeah, cool. So you’re Christians, too?”

“Yep, we’re in the same grade at school, and Sunday School” Greg said. “Timmy’s like the most religious guy I know—except for Pastor John.”

“My family’s Catholic” Marshall admitted. “I never knew we could pray out in the open, like that.”

Timmy objected, “No fair, Greg. I’m not that religious! I just remember what we learned in Vacation Bible School—to pray at all times.” He stood up from the bench. “I’m hot. Want to go off the high dive now?”

“Yes!” Greg said, jumping up. “I want to try diving into the water from that pike position Marshall showed us”

“You’ve got to straighten your legs up fast, Greg” Marshall warned. “At the same time, throw your arms together in front of your head…if you don’t want to smack the water face first.”

Climbing the ladder, Marshall mumbled, “Pray at all times, huh? I pray that Greg straightens his body fast for the dive.” He bowed his head, and took a step up.

Timmy cannon-balled into the water. Greg was clapping as he walked out on the board. He yelled and waved, “That cannon ball splashed water way past the bench we just left!” Then he was deep in thought. Go from pike to legs up, hands down.

Marshall yelled, “Don’t grab your ankles, do it all in one motion, Greg—from pike to dive.” … Greg ran off the high diving board.

His pike was sloppy, his legs didn’t get all the way up, but his arms did protect his face.

“Hurray Greg, not too bad—for a first attempt” Marshall cheered a slurping Greg who surfaced quickly from the deep.

Marshall met the guys at the water’s edge after his flawless reverse dive. “I really didn’t know that we could pray at all times like that. It really works!”

“What’s really cool about praying at all times, Marshall, is that before you know it, God’s your buddy!” Timmy said. “It sure works for me!”

Take Home Nugget

Parents either bring kids to church to worship, or send them with others. Some kids never to go church. We don’t know where or how they got their faith, but they want to pass it on to us kids. We learn through living that:

If we don’t personalize our own faith, it won’t work for us.

J.D. Griffith

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