Thursday, August 23, 2007

Indescribable

One joy of the last few days as we've started more of a typical music class routine has been teaching my students about God and singing His praises with them. This year I'm making an effort to collaborate a little bit more with the classroom teachers regarding the hymns/songs I choose to teach the kids. ICS uses John Piper's children's (Sunday school?!) curriculum, which is supposedly super good, and each year/grade they focus on different Biblical themes. 1st Grade is learning about the attributes of God, 2nd Grade is learning about His promises, 4th does the names of God, etc. For 1st and 2nd I'm trying to pick monthly songs or hymns that go along with what they are already learning. (I had already decided to do something a little different for 3rd and 4th, working through redemptive history - creation, fall, redemption, etc.) It helps with planning for me, but more than that hopefully it'll help the kids understand these things better.

The first thing that the 1st Graders are learning about God is that He is "incomprehensible." Kim, my 1st Grade teacher friend, said that the kids love saying that word as they count out all six syllables. She said that they feel (and rightly so) so smart to know such a big word! As I was praying through songs to choose for them, I was reminded of Chris Tomlin's "Indescribable", which speaks of God in a similar manner. I almost didn't want to teach it, though, because of the huge words it includes, but then I decided to take the risk. I figured that, if it was presented in the right way, maybe the students could grasp these 4-, 5-, and 6-syllable words (or not grasp them, as the case may be!). So yesterday I began to explain how God is "uncontainable," "all powerful," "untamable," the One who placed the stars in the sky millions of light years away - AMAZING! We've only begun to work on this song, but one class yesterday almost had their mouths open, saying "Whoa!" - and these precious young ones even attempted to sing all of those big words with me! It touched my heart.

Also encouraging: a rather "ADD" (don't know if he really is, but he tends to come across that way!) 3rd Grade student of mine interrupted me a few days ago, reminding me of the story I told last year of a bird I discovered flying around in the music room (it was a little startling at first, then very funny!). When he brought it up, I told the story again to this year's class so they could enjoy it, then Com said, "Yeah and you told us about how God made it..." I remembered using the bird as an illustration of the wonder of God's creation while teaching the beautiful song "I Adore You, Jesus." I didn't figure this boy was even listening, much less would remember that months later. It was a good reminder that God is going to use what He wants of what comes out of my mouth when He wants to, even when I doubt it's possible.

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea,
Creation's revealing Your majesty.
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring,
Every creature unique in the song that it sings.
All exclaiming...

Indescribable, Uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God.
All powerful, Untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim,
You are amazing God.

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go,
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow?
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light,
Yet conceals it to give us the coolness of night?
None can fathom...

Incomparable, Unchangeable,
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same.
You are amazing God.

1 Comments:

At 8:28 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

:] I am touched. For some reason or another, this brought tears to my eyes...i miss you and am praying for you,
~Rachel~

 

Post a Comment

<< Home