"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Hebrews 11:1
Tonight I started a new series based on Christian music. I took the song "This is Your Life" by Switchfoot and based my lesson around it. I thought it was pretty cool. The Lord has been leading me to do something like this for a while. But I hadn't found the right songs, or I might not have been listening well enough. Before the lesson I had the kids do a "Faith Walk" game. Where they all paired up and one person on each team was blind folded and they had to retrieve yellow cards all around the church property and make it to the youth room. It was a really good test in listening, also in being a leader or a follower, and last, putting your faith in something you can't see. I really think the kids got a lot out of that exercise.
Once we were all back inside we talked about "Having Faith" and "Living in Faith". I brought the song in at the end of the lesson, I asked , "Are you who you want to be?" or more importantly, "Are you who God wants you to be?", and "Are you men and women of faith?". Then we listened to the song. After the song was over we talked about how it felt to hear those words and if they wanted to change anything about their lives. Then we listened to the song one last time, and I told the kids to make a covenant with the Lord to be the person who God wants them to be, and to write down on a piece of paper what they wanted to change, and ask God to help them to do it. Then they burned the paper as a symbol of giving it up to God.
After the lesson we celebrated Mackenzie's 17th birthday and had a little frosting fight. But no one was harmed in all the melee. It was a very powerful night and I think the kids really got something from it. Next week I will be picking a new song, so keep an ear out. You never know how the Lord will speak to you, it might just be through music.
You can read the lyrics to "This is your Life" by Switchfoot
here and listen to the song
here. Maybe you will be inspired by them too.
