Joli had the opportunity to share the message of LIFE with the children's ministry at Concord. There was a great group of 17 children there, which was very encouraging. The children were taught Genesis 1:26-27, and Psalm 139:1-7 and 13-18.
"Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created the" (Genesis 1:26-27 NKJV).
Notice how it says "Let Us" and "Our". The children need to know that God the Father, Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, were all involved in creating them. The children need to know that they have value because they are made in God's image.
Joli then reads to the children Psalm 139:1-6, and 13-18.
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.5 You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
If the children like to read, she lets them take turns reading each verse, emphasizing verses 1-7 that show God is all knowing, all powerfulll and all present.
Then she focuses on Psalm 139; verses 13 - 16, making sure that the children know that they are fearfully and wonderfuuly complex and that God is the one who knit them together in their mother's womb and that God planned every day of their life. The Holy Spirit spoke to Joli to share that God is present in the womb as they are being formed. there is nowhere that God is not. He is there. As she teached the children how wonderfully God made them, she shows them fetal models of unborn babies at age 11 weeks, 20, weeks, and 26 weeks.
13 "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them."
Joli also emphasizes verse 17- 18 from Psalm 139, "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You."
It is so important for the children to know that are made in God's image, that God is always present with them, that He is all powerful and all knowing and their creator who formed them and planned their life. They need to know it is not what makes them male of female, but who. God made them either male or female. They need to know that God thinks about them more than there are grains of sand on the seashore because He is a loving heavenly Father that loves them unconditinally and does not want them to fear, but to trust in Him. Joli concludes with a presentation of the good news of the gospel.
We are hoping that we can reach more children this year than ever before. Pray that God will open the doors of opportunity for us to speak to the children and share His word with them. So many children are crying out to for Jesus. The fields are white for harvest, pray that God will send the laborers to reach the children.
Pray thet God will send laborers to reach children who are Deaf, or have any other challenge that might keep them from a traditional church setting. the Deaf are one the most unreached people groups in the world.
Above all, pray for the children. Our hope and prayer is that every child has a Bible, a written copy of God's Word, and that every child will be able to hear the good news of the gospel and the message of the Sanctity of Human Life.