Dead or Alive

We were in the middle of sharing prayer requests and Rosa raised her hand, waiting patiently for me to call on her. Each week the kids have a chance to talk about things in their lives that are bothering them or that they need help with. I had just wrapped up a lesson on Jesus' resurrection and had coaxed the kids into a "sort of" circle for our prayer time.

"What's your prayer request Rosa?

"I would like to pray for God..."

For a moment I didn't know how to respond, "Um - okay Rosa, what would you like to pray for Him for?"

"Well, he's dead." Rosa's reply was simple.

I smiled, partly because the whole lesson had been on the very opposite and also because I understood how mind numbing having a God with three names can be, "Thanks Rosa for your prayer request. You know, God is alive. It's kind of confusing because we talk about God and we talk about Jesus - Jesus is God's son and he died and came back to life. But Jesus is God."

"What? They're the same person??" Tony called out, "What are you saying A.B.?"

And so it went - trying to explain the Trinity to a basement full of curious hearts. Finally I told the kids that there are just some mysteries that belong to God and God alone. They seemed satisfied for the moment.

I still have a little chuckle when I think of teaching an entire lesson solely on the resurrection and having a kid ask us to pray for God because he's dead. Keeps me humble. But eventually my smile turns to genuine gratefulness because the crux of those few minutes at the church is that Rosa went home with her prayer request answered - even if she didn't understand it. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are alive, well and on the Throne. I don't understand the mystery of Jesus who was all God and all man - at the same time, but no matter because I do believe it. And just as we trust God with what we know, how much more should we trust Him with what we don't?