Augustine 2: Glimpses for Kids worship bulletin

Later, Not Now
A few minutes later, I stopped laughing. It wasn't funny anymore.

Guilt. Guilt pounded on my head. I kept pushing it back, refusing to let it in. They're just some dumb old pears. Who cares?

More guilt. I had done other bad things in my life, but I never felt so bad afterward. I pushed the guilt down. Push, push, push.

Morning dawned. The guilt was still there making my head hurt. I walked by my mother's bedroom. Again I heard her praying for me to become a Christian. Again I whispered back at her, "Later, not now."

Weeks and months passed by and I got into more trouble while trying to impress my friends. How does a person get away from a guilty feeling? I decided to run from it.

At age 28 I moved from North Africa to Rome, Italy. My mother followed me, praying all the while. I hated the sin and the guilt. But how could I live without my sins? I liked them!

My father finally became a Christian and was baptized just before he died. Mother hoped I would change too, but by then I didn't care.

Once again I moved on -- this time to study in Milan, Italy. Of course, my sins followed me, piling up guilt and sadness inside. I didn't like my sins so much anymore.

Pick it up and Read
One day I was hanging out with my friend Alypius. He could tell that I was feeling down, so he gave me some time alone. I went to the garden where I could be by myself and let out all my frustration.

I felt like I was going to explode. I threw myself underneath a fig tree there and wept. "God, will you always be angry with me?" I cried. "Can you ever forget all the bad things I've done? Can I do it now, God? Can I clean up my sinful life now?"

I lay on the ground, tears streaming down my face, glad that no one was around to see me.

Suddenly, I heard a child's songlike voice. "Pick it up and read. Pick it up and read!" I looked around. No one was there.

I quit crying and got up off the ground. I thought maybe the voices that sang, "Pick it up and read," were from God. So I walked back to Alypius who was waiting where I'd left him. I grabbed the Bible that was near him and read from the first place I turned to. I couldn't believe my eyes!

Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and don't think about how to satisfy the desires of the sinful nature (Romans 13:14).

That was it! I knew I could be free of my sins! I saved my place in the Bible and turned to Alypius. "Alypius, I am ready to follow Christ!"

Confessions
Immediately, I went home to see my mother. You should have seen her face! For that matter, you should have seen her jump! I was so used to seeing my mother on her knees, I had no idea she could jump and pray like that!

My sadness and guilt turned to gladness. I became the first person in the world known to write an autobiography (a book about myself). I didn't write about what a good boy I was either. I even wrote about the pear tree! Then I wrote about Jesus and how He forgave me for all of my foolishness.

Everyone liked to listen to Augustine speak. Students wanted him to be their teacher, and he is still known today as one of the greatest Christian thinkers of all times.

Augustine's autobiography is called Confessions, and even though it was written about 1,600 years ago, you can still find a copy of it in your public library or on the internet.

Make It Real! Questions to make you dig a little deeper and think a little harder.

Augustine's mother was persistent in prayer! She prayed every day that he would come to love God, but it was many years before her prayers were answered. What have you been persistent in praying for?
God doesn't always answer "yes" to our prayers when we want him to. Sometimes He says "no," and sometimes He answers "not now." Have you experienced times when God's answers to your prayers were better than the answers you were hoping for?
Have you ever done something you know is wrong just to impress your friends? How did that make you feel inside?
Augustine's mother and his friend Alypius both shared their faith with him. Are there people in your life who have shared their faith with you?

Augustine: Troubled Youth, Famous Thinker

Augustine with mom Monica