John and Sally- Knowing God
Let me tell you a story about two children- John and Sally
- sally was 11
- John was 12
- Not from the same family- but were good friends (most of the time!)
As with all of us- what people thought of Sally mattered a lot to her
- took great care about how she looked
- it really mattered to her whether she was in with the ‘in crowd’ or not
- it really mattered to her that she had better friends and knew more important people than others
o and she DID know some important people. Her mother was a local judge and she used to have some pretty important people round for dinner! Like the mayor
Sally was always telling her friends who she knew
- one day the mayor came to her school- and she whispered to her friends ‘I know him!’
o she tried to catch his eye as he left the assembly room… but he looked at her and looked through her. Perhaps he had forgotten who she was
- but it didn’t stop there for Sally. Once she was watching TV with one of her friends…. When the children’s presenter came on she said ‘I know her!’. ‘She’s a friend of my family’
- her friend believed her! After all- it did seem true.
But things got worse from there. She started lying more and more about who she knew. One day her mother took Sally and this same friend up to London- and they were going to see the Queen! Sally couldn’t resist it! She told her friend ‘I know her, too!’
But when the Queen drove past at Bucking palace… and the excitement was too much… Sally dropped her ice cream…. Just as ‘Lizzie’ looked out the window at her!
…but she didn’t stop… or look, really… just continued waving
Sally almost cried- but fought back the tears
Now there was nothing flash about John. He had a good home and some good friends- but he was ‘master average’, really.
- he didn’t really know anyone important… nor was he in the ‘popular group’. He just hung around with his mates- most of whom were from his church
- he tried to be kind… did what his parents asked… and tried not to fight with his sister. Well- he TRIED, anyway!
- and he prayed. He talked to God.
When he got into trouble he prayed particularly hard!
- he lost his gameboy, once. He prayed and prayed. He felt he should go and ask the school bus driver…. And he’d found it under his seat! And kept it safe. John was relieved!
- On another occasion he knew he was going to be thrown together with some of the school bullies one sportstime. He prayed and prayed.
o Sure enough they picked on him- but then he felt a strong peace come to him, he didn’t react, and eventually they lost interest and got on with the sport. It was like someone had helped him
Who you know IS important
- and God is the most important person in the whole universe
- it’s incredible that people can spend all their time trying to get to know about celebrities- but not be interested in knowing God
o there is nothing more important…. No one more important
o Illustr: at the table with my cousins and Gareth speaking about things that were good and helping him in his life and my other cousin’s husband just came right out and said it ‘yes, but you’re forgetting all about God, aren’t you? That’s the most important person and thing’
- He is not ‘the Queen’- we’re talking about The King, here!
o And you can know Him personally…better than you do….
o And he can help you! He won’t make out he doesn’t know you when you’re in trouble.
Knowing Him is the most important thing
