As I drive to work each morning

Listening to my playlist of songs about Christ Jesus

I pray to my Heavenly Father

Lord let me make an impact today

Let me reach that one kid and show him or her of your love

Let me encourage that coworker who might be having a bad day

Give me strength to engage and inspire those around me

Let me be the teacher you have called me to be

Then as I enter that school building

With a laptop and lesson plans under my arm

A kind coworker opens the door for me and smiles

Another goes out of her way to pray with me

Another asks how I am doing

Another smiles and wishes me a good day

As I press onward throughout the day

I see that one kid struggling

I help guide that kid to understand the lesson

He smiles and says, “Thank you Mr. Stewart”

Another student smiles and asks how my day is going

One student smiles and asks, “Guess what happened to me today?”

Before telling me the good things happening in his life

Another student walks into class listening to Hillsong

She’s the one who will gladly tell you that she is a Christian

As I see the smiles and hear the good stories

As I see those “lightbulb” moments when a child “gets it”

I thank God that I am a teacher

I thank Him for the many hats teachers wear

Teacher

Counselor

Role model

Mentor

Tutor

I also thank Him for those kids

Every single one of those kids deserve a good education

Every single one of those kids should know that people are there for them

Wanting them to succeed

And ready to rejoice in that success

As I think of my calling to teach

As I think of the teachers and students

Who encourage and inspire me daily

I thank God for His presence in our schools

Yes, God is in our schools

You may hear people say from time to time

“I wish God was back in our schools”

Well let me just tell you this

God IS in our schools

He has been in our schools

And He has never left our schools

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise

When I see another teacher go out of his or her way to engage a kid

To inspire a kid

To counsel a kid

To uplift a kid

To teach a kid

To let that kid know that someone cares for him or her

I see Christ’s love revealed

I see God at work

When that kid smiles at me and thanks me for encouraging him

I see God at work

When another kid goes out his way to ask how I am doing

I see God at work

When I get to rejoice with a kid in his “good things”

I see God at work

When that one student asks me, “Do you believe in God?”

I see God at work

So don’t tell me that God is not in our schools

Don’t tell me that He is not welcomed here

Because what I see day in and day out paints a completely different story

I see God’s hand move

I feel God’s presence sweep over me everywhere I go

And that includes our schools

When teachers, many of whom struggle from paycheck to paycheck

Still provide food and supplies to students

How is God not at work in our schools?

When students who “get it” help others who don’t “get it”

How is God not at work in our schools?

God IS at work in our schools!

It would be misguided to think that we could ever keep Him out

God doesn’t require teacher-led prayer in order to be in our schools

God doesn’t require that teachers preach in order to be in our schools

God is much bigger than that

God can’t be put in a box or a bottle

He’s not a genie in a lamp that only comes out when teachers lead prayer

He is the almighty, everlasting, omnipresent God

You can’t keep Him away

Even if you try to run from Him

He is still there just waiting for you to turn your eyes back to Him

He is always there

He is there in the good days

He is there in the bad days

In the classroom, He is there

In the hallways, He is there

In the cafeteria, He is there

In the meeting rooms, He is there

In the gyms and locker rooms, He is there

On the practice field, He is there

In the stadiums, He is there

In the principals’ and counselors’ offices, He is there

In the janitor’s closet, He is there

In the parking lots, He is there

Even in a tragedy

Especially in a tragedy

He is there

I honestly don’t have the slightest idea why bad things happen

I will never understand why humans target other humans

Especially in our schools

But know this,

God was there in Colorado

God was there in Connecticut

God was there in Florida

God was there in Texas

God wept with us as countless kids have been slaughtered in our schools

God was there as students comforted one another in the chaos

God was there as teachers and students went out of their way

To help others to safety

God was there as unsung heroes died protecting others

No greater love exists

Than the love of laying down one’s life to save others

God was there in the aftermath and is still there

To comfort those whose lives have been torn apart by tragedy

So please, don’t ever say,

“Well if only God was allowed in our schools, this wouldn’t happen.”

God has not left!

Nothing and no one can keep God away

As a teacher, I know God is there

In the students I engage

In the coworkers I encounter

I see God at work

God was at work

God is at work

And God will continue to be at work

With every fiber of my being

With every ounce of faith I have

I know in my heart

That God IS IN our schools!

 

Note: This poem was updated to include mentioning the tragedy in Santa Fe, Texas. I pray I do not have to update this poem to reflect future tragedies.