Hi my little friends. Are you ready to go treasure hunting? How many of you have Jesus living in their hearts? Ah—h-h, good—Today’s lesson is especially for YOU.
Let’s look inside the Treasure Box to see what God wants to teach us today. What’s this? A rock! Hm-mmm, it’s rough looking and has some sharp edges. Looks like it has been in the dirt for some time. It sure doesn’t look like a treasure. In fact, it doesn’t seem very interesting at all. I feel a little disappointed. After all, I was expecting a treasure. Were you expecting a treasure, too? Of course you were. That’s what’s in a treasure box, isn’t it? So, why is this ordinary rock in a treasure box? Well, children, there’s a secret, here. Some treasures may not seem appealing. But, God often hides beautiful things in plain settings. Today, this rock is going to remind us of two very important things—the Love of Jesus and the Transformation of You.
First, Let’s talk about JESUS.
There are many names for Jesus. He’s called Emmanuel (“God with us”)—how important that is to know when we feel alone, that God is with us. He’s called Counselor when we need advice. He’s called Prince of Peace when we are afraid. He’s called the Good Shepherd when we, like the sheep that we are, go astray. He’s called the Bread of Life when we are hungry. He’s called the Word of Life when we need His truth for living. He’s called the Light of the World when we can’t see our way. There are many other names for Jesus. Today, we will learn about one that you might not know. Did you know that Jesus is also called the Rock? (Share some of these Scriptures)
Deut. 32:4, 15; Psalm 95:1: He is the Rock…of our salvation
I Samuel 2:2: There is no Rock like our God
II Samuel 22:2, 3: The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress and Deliverer…He is
Strength and Power
I Cor. 10:4: That Rock was Christ
Now, let’s talk about YOU:
If I was to ask each of you “How do you rate yourself—what do you think about yourself?” I’m sure I’d get answers like, “Oh, I’m pretty good at math”, or “I play well on the piano”. Some of you might say “I’m too fat”, or “I feel ugly”. Some of you might be honest and say, “M-mmm—I get into trouble a lot”. If I ask what others might think about you, I’m sure I’ll get answers like “Oh, she’s really sweet!”, or “Ah-h-h, he’s kind of mean!” We can be pretty hard on ourselves—even harder on others. But, the truth is—It’s how God sees us that counts. We don’t see the whole picture—and that includes our futures. When God created this vast universe, particularly our home planet, Earth, He left many clues for us to search out to learn both how He loves us and how He sees us. What are these clues? Well, this rock is one clue.
Now, it’s true, it appears to be an ordinary rock. But, ordinary it isn’t! It’s a geode. I want you to remember as I’m explaining some details about this rock that God sees you differently than you or others see you. Before I explain what a geode is, I will tell you where it is found and how it is made.
| Where Can You Find Geode? Geodes are found throughout the world, but the most concentrated areas are located in the deserts. I find that quite interesting. Who \would think to find a treasure in a place that most people wouldn’t want to live. You see, the desert has qualities that are perfect for making geodes. Volcanic ash beds, or regions containing limestone, are common geode locations. There are many geode sites in the western United States, including California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada. The state of Iowa also has geodes; in fact, the geode is their state rock. One of the most famous sites for finding geodes is called the Hauser Geode Beds, which are located at Wiley Well in the northern region of Imperial Valley, CA |
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| What, exactly, is a Geode? The term geode comes from the Greek language and means “earth-like”. A geode is a sphere-shaped, rough-edged rock which contains a hollow cavity that’s lined with crystals. A geode that is completely filled (with agate, jasper or chalcedony crystals) is called a nodule. The only difference between a geode and a nodule is that a geode has a hollow cavity, and a nodule, like the agate, is solid. |
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Geodes can be as small as cherries or larger than a grapefruit
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| How is a Geode formed? Geologists (rock scientists) continue to wonder at the formation of the mysterious earth-shaped geodes. Most believe that geodes begin as bubbles in volcanic rock or as animal burrows or mud balls covered by sedimentary rock. Over time (perhaps thousands, even millions, of years), the outer spherical shell of the geode hardens while water containing traces of minerals seeps along the inside walls of the cavity. Eventually, these minerals, mainly quartz, begin to form at the base and along the sides of the cavity. The most prized geodes contain the more rare minerals—amethyst and calcite. (It’s important to note that some geodes can be disappointing—they have a cavity but no crystals. People who collect rocks–Rockhounders—are never certain which ones will have crystals until they open the geodes with a rock saw.) |
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What can we learn from the geode? The rough exterior of the geode gives no indication of the secrets held within its core. Each geode is unique in composition and can only be truly discovered when cracked open or cut with a rock saw. The size and formation of crystals and different shades of color within the crystals make each geode special.
Remember when I asked you if Jesus lives in your hearts? If He does, you are not like the worthless geodes that are empty. When you have Jesus in you, you are like those geodes that possess that mineral water which makes me think of the Holy |
Amethyst geode
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Spirit who silently works within ours heart to bring good changes. Can you begin to see yourself and others in a different light, now? Can you understand a little more how God sees you? If it takes thousands of years for geodes to form, certainly it takes a lifetime for our Lord to form the treasures within our own hearts. We must be careful not to judge ourselves or others by outward appearances. There will be times that you and I appear rough and hard on the outside. Trust God, it won’t always be that way. Remember, geodes are made from volcanic rocks. That means hot, fiery, lava rocks. And, as these rocks cool, they form hard, protective crusts. But, inwardly, delicate crystals are being formed. That’s why we mustn’t judge ourselves or others. God is doing a hidden work in all of those He loves. The Bible has wonderful words of encouragement:
John 7:24 and 8:28: “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with
righteous judgment…you …judge according to the
flesh…but MY judgment is true…”
Psalm 138:8a: “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me…”
Psalm 139:14: “I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully
made; marvelous are Thy works…”
Life has its painful times. We experience pain in the dentist’s chair or when we fall and scrape our knee. We learn that God made our bodies to heal or repair themselves. We learn that we can bear a little pain, and we let pain have its way. We know that someone, maybe Mom or Dad, or another grown up, will be there to help us. It’s the same for those times our hearts are aching with sorrow. Even though we might be sad and hurting, we can trust Jesus to help us. We can go to Jesus our Rock for comfort. And, we can trust that through these hard times or times of pressure, He is doing something beautiful in our hearts.
Psalm 28:1 I will cry unto my Rock
Psalm 61:2 When my heart is overwhelmed… Lead me to the Rock that is
higher than I…
Remember how the most beautiful geodes are formed—by the violent forces of the earth, by pressures and intense heat. Surely, God knows what it takes to make something beautiful within our hearts. How He does it is a secret only He knows. We know that some experiences we have are not pleasant. But, we can trust that everything that comes our way—every hurt, every disappointment, every discipline—adds to the treasure He’s creating within us. Yes, sometimes our outside is rough and hard. He will take care of that. Don’t judge yourself (or another) by what you see now. There will come a day when Christ’s love will break through the hard crust, and the beautiful work He has been doing all along will, at last, be seen.
Until next time, this is Grandma reminding you to trust in God to make something beautiful out of our lives.
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