FEBRUARY 12

JOHN 10:10

PAY ATTENTION!

A-choo! Just as Miss Low began the lesson, Alan sneezed loudly, and the other children in his Sunday school class giggled. Miss Low paused. When she started to speak once more... A-choo! Everyone laughed – even  Miss Low. Some kids faked coughs and sneezes. Soon the class was in an uproar.

Miss Low smiled as she called the class to order. "It looks like the thief is here again today," she said after the kids had settled down. She ignored the questioning glances as she directed the class to open their Bibles to Mark 4. Together they read the parable of the sower.

"God’s Word is like seed," said Miss Low. "Our hearts are like soil. Let’s think about the first kind of soil described here – the first condition of the heart. It’s called the ‘wayside.’ When the seed of God’s Word lands on this kind of soil, what happens to it? Can you tell us, Alan?"

"Satan quickly steals it before it can grow," Alan replied.

Miss Low nodded. "Yes, and he uses many things that, like thieves, snatch the seed away. For example, this morning a thief came disguised as a sneeze. Alan couldn’t help it, but his sneezing took our minds off our lesson, and I think maybe Satan hoped to keep our minds occupied with such things," said Miss Low. "Can any of you think of other thieves Satan might use to steal the seed of God’s Word?"

Susan raised her hand. "In church services, he might use hiccups or crying babies," she suggested. "Or sleepiness." "When we have devotions at home, it seems like the telephone or door bell often rings," offered Alan.

" The thief could be something we’ve read or seen on TV," suggested Patty. " That might make us think about silly or bad things instead of the lesson or sermon."

Miss Low nodded. "Right," she said. "Let’s all be on our guard so we don’t allow ourselves to be distracted and miss what God wants to teach us from His Word."

Thought: Do you try hard to keep your mind on God’s Word when it’s being read or taught?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is true that often, I have di culties paying at-tention to bible lessons or my QT. I pray that I won’t let Satan’s thieves steal God’s Word from my heart or use You to steal God’s Word from others.