Tuesday August 4, 2020
Today’s Scripture: Mark 10:13-16
13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
14 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” 16 Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.
Today’s Devotional
There is a 4-year old boy in the UK who has just landed a book deal for his poetry. I know, astonishing, right? But there really is a talent there. Read this poem he wrote called “Coming Home”:
“Take our gloves off
Take our shoes off
Put them where they’re supposed to go.
You take off your brave feeling
Because there’s nothing to be scared of in the house”
Simple, yes. And maybe he did not mean to go deep into what it means to wear brave feelings when you are out of the house – but still – pretty impressive. You never know what a kid is capable of.
Our society places a lot of emphasis and importance on children. This was not the case in Jesus’ day. When some parents brought their kids to be touched and blessed by Jesus, the disciples quickly drove them away. You can’t let kids bother Jesus. They were just not important.
But Jesus saw what they were doing and immediately invited the children to come to him. In doing so he set the standard for how we should treat kids – but also for how we adults are to engage the Kingdom of God: with childlike eyes and simple hearts and wide-open wonder.
As a church we have committed to reaching out and caring for the children and families in our community. It’s what being the presence of Christ is all about. But we also need to commit ourselves to engaging the Kingdom as a child engages the world. We need to set aside our cynicism, open our eyes to the miraculous, and imagine the impossible is possible.
What poetry will you write today? How will you be a kid in the kingdom?
Today’s Prayer
Forgive us for losing touch with what it means to be a kid in your presence. Give us a fresh understanding of what Jesus meant when he called on us to receive the Kingdom as a child. And help us to continue to serve and love and care for the children in our community.
Amen
Leave a Reply