Dear Friends,
“How would you like it if you were one of the big winners of
the Science Fair but we gave the prize to another student?
After all the thought, research, testing, data gathering, display
creation, and conclusion writing…we simply gave someone
else the credit for your project?”
The students responded with words of frustration, outrage and “that’s not fair!” when I presented this scenario to them at chapel.
Well, that’s what happens to God every time we give credit to someone or something else for what He has made. I love nature shows, NOVA and Blue Planet-type shows and books. Increasingly, I hear and see credit given to a wide variety of non-beings for what God has not only made, but given to us to enjoy and draw us to Himself. Mother nature, nature, the universe, karma, and evolution are the current favorite recipients of credit that belongs to God. I also hear language such as “nature’s plan” or “nature’s design”. We’ve always spoken this way with the understanding that God put amazing systems, cycles and intricate details into His design for nature. I am afraid that He is no longer given any credit for what He has made. He is no longer a consideration in the minds and hearts of those influencing the world’s TV audience, children and our culture.
What can we do? How can we
not leave Him out of our thinking when we too enjoy information through the lens of a Godless worldview? Should we stop watching PBS, reading books, and loving Science? No, no and no!
We must recognize that we are swimming upstream in an increasingly post Christian culture. We must wake up and not be lulled into the (lack of) thinking of the day. I told the kids that the best way they can give God the credit when it has been given elsewhere is to stop and pray something like this when they see misplaced credit:
“Lord, I KNOW that YOU created this amazing world and
I thank You for it. You deserve the credit and the glory
and I am giving it to you right now! Please forgive us for
leaving you out and help me remember to always
give You the credit for what You have made!
I love you! Amen”
I appreciate
all that you parents are doing to give God the credit He deserves! You sacrifice time, money and convenience to send your children to HCA. You are willing to swim upstream and
preserve the remnant of believers to carry on the gospel to the next generation. I applaud you! You are doing a great job! How do I know? Well, for one thing
your children are complimented everywhere we go, including our DC trip, by docents, leaders, and even those in the gift-shops. They are reported to be respectful, interested and extremely smart! Two chapel speakers in a row have been amazed at their biblical knowledge, saying they wished those in their congregations and campus ministries knew as much as even our youngest students!
Even though we all have our struggles and are far from perfect, I believe that God is well pleased by your decisions and values. I also believe that He is pleased with HCA and wants it to continue for generations to come.
Please make sure you have June 1st on your calendars so that we can celebrate 25 years of God’s faithfulness together. We want to give credit where credit is due! The party activities are planned from 3:00 to 8:00 pm!
Please keep the staff in your prayers this month as together we are making a final push to finish the Food for Life book. We pray it will be an offering to the Lord as well as a gift to other Christian schools. It is our attempt to give God the glory for what He has made!
Persevering in His love,
Susan Hayward, Principal