In the story of creation, we begin to trace God’s elusive presence with God’s People. In the Godly Play presentation for Creation, children see the seven days of creation illustrated on a series of seven cards, laid out one by one.

We continue to seek the elusive presence of God. God was present at creation, blessingall that was made. Noah walked with God and was led by God’s presence to build the ark that preserved life. Now Abraham and Sarah discover that God is present everywhere, putting their lives on the line to test the promises of God.

In today’s story, the Babylonians capture Jerusalem and take God’s People into exile. Even though this journey is forced upon them, they make an astonishing discovery: God is not just in one place, in the temple in Jerusalem, but also in a foreign and strange land. God’s presence is not here or there, but everywhere, waiting. To be found. To find us.

Jesus’ story of the shepherd who searches for the one sheep that is lost and leaves the ninety-nine to do so provides the framework for all other references to Jesus as our shepherd. This story, found in both Matthew 18 and Luke 15, was told in today’s lesson, but the presentation alsoincorporated Jesus’ reference to himself as the Good Shepherd (from John 10) and elements of Psalm 23, perhaps the most familiar—and comforting—of all psalms: “The Lord is my shepherd...”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed is found in all three synoptic gospel (Matthew 24:32; Mark 4:30–32; Luke 13:18–19). The mustard in the parable is not the domestic mustard we use for flavoring. The mustard of southwest Asia grew and spread quickly. Farmers did not like it because it could take over a field and ruin its useful production of grain. It is a shrub and not a tree. These historical matters are not interesting to children, but are mentioned to invite you todiscover more about this parable as an adult.