The Kindness of God

ILLUSTRATION: Video - first walkCS Lewis' quote: the God who is not safe but is goodIn C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan represents Jesus as the kind and powerful lion-king of Narnia. In the first book of the series, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, the following is a very insightful quote on pages 75 and 76:"Is ? is he a man?" asked Lucy.?Aslan a man!? said Mr. Beaver sternly. ?Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don?t you know who is the King of the Beasts? Aslan is a lion ? the Lion, the great Lion.??Ooh!? said Lucy, ?I?d thought he was a man. Is he - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.??That you will, dearie, and no mistake,? said Mrs. Beaver, ?if there?s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they?re either braver than most or else just silly.??Then he isn?t safe?? said Lucy.?Safe?? said Mr. Beaver. ?Don?t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ?Course he isn?t safe. But he?s good. He?s the King, I tell you.?The God who is strange? Jericho, the march and the walls? Gideon (32,000 men down to 300)? David and Saul?s armor, boy wins over a giant with a slingshot? Jesus heals a blind man by spitting on the mud and making a mixture? Noah (never had been rain ? Gen 2:5 - but this man is building a boat?What is that??and gathering animals); he was just obedient Gen 6:22(ILLUSTRATION: Bill Cosby routine)? Proverbs 3:5-6?lean not on your own understandingThe kindness of Godds,x,checed {kheh'-sed}Meaning:1) goodness, kindness, faithfulness, mercy, lovingkindness(Found many times in scripture)Isaiah 63:7I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD , the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us- yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.Jeremiah 31:3The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.Psalm 106:7When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.Examples of God?s kindness? Abby remembering accident? Abby not being emotionally attached to her mommy? Jill getting to go be with the Lord, given her pain? Jill having a family and a home before going to her real home (see bulletin insert)? ?Our Lord has conquered the grave??Easter celebration, either I believe it or not? Only physical defect is my site in left eye, but right eye is 20/15 to compensate!? My scar (the ?owie? on my head) is a memorial of the grace of GodThe absence of God?? In Esther, God is NEVER mentioned? No passage from Esther is quoted in the New Testament? Esther story?God?s plan, sovereignty, and perfect timingThe Ever-Present God? Yahweh Shammah(last verse of Ezekiel)??God is there/here?? Emmanuel??God with us? (Matt. 1:23)? God?s greatest gift?his presence, no matter what the circumstances? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (?the 4th one is very shiny?)A father?s love?(country song ?Love Without End, Amen?)I got sent home from school one day with a shiner on my eye.Fightin' was against the rules and it didn't matter why.When dad got home I told that story just like I'd rehearsed.And then stood there on those tremblin' knees and waited for the worst.Chorus:And he said, "Let me tell you a secret about a father's love,A secret that my daddy said was just between us."He said, "Daddies don't just love their children every now and then.It's a love without end, amen, it's a love without end, amen."When I became a father in the spring of '81There was no doubt that stubborn boy was just like my father's son.And when I thought my patience had been tested to the end,I took my daddy's secret and I passed it on to him.Repeat Chorus:Last night I dreamed I died and stood outside those pearly gates.When suddenly I realized there must be some mistake.If they know half the things I've done, they'll never let me in.And then somewhere from the other side I heard these words again.Repeat Chorus:Derek Redmond storyThe Olympics of 1992 produced a lot of winners that carried home gold medals. But some of the real winners did not get a lustrous medal... instead, they are the ones who left pictures in our minds that will last forever.One of those was Derrick Redmond of Great Britain who was competing in the 400 meter race with high hopes of a gold. Seated up in the stands, his Dad was cheering him on.The 400 meters Is a tough event because it is a wide-open sprint from start to finish. Derrick was doing well until he rounded the curve and pulled his hamstring, falling to the ground in intense pain. But he got up and started hobbling and hopping toward the finish line.Seventy thousand people in the stadium realized what was happening. Quincy Watts had already won the race and set a new Olympic record by finishing in 43.50 seconds. Everybody else finished a couple of seconds behind him. Derrick was slowly making his way around the track. One official tried to stop him but Derrick pushed him off. His face reflected pain, but he was determined to finish.Then everyone saw a spectator come out of the stands and onto the track and place his arm around Derrick. It was his Dad. He was going to help his son finish the race. Leaning on his Dad, they both crossed the finish line...in just over 5 minutes! Quincy Watts carried home a gold medal, but Derrick Redmond carried home a golden memory of a Dad who was willing to be with his son through thick and thin. The record book will catalogue Quincy's medal, but the world will treasure Derrick's memory.When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.Isaiah 43:2Jason MirikitaniShiloh Summer Campwww.shilohcamp.org