Become like a child

Matthew 18:3

And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

It’s back to school time!  My son will be starting Pre-K at the school at our church.  He is very excited and we love the Christian environment that he is surrounded by.  I was a little caught off in the car yesterday though as we came home from his classroom visit.  We are driving down the road when all of a sudden he decides to tell us that he wants to die.  I told him that if he died I would be very sad.  Of course he comes back with a smart remark and tells me I can just get a new kid. 

I start to question him more on why he wants to die.  His response was very simple, “Because I want to be with Jesus.”  How do you respond to that?  I did the best that I could to tell this sweet 4 year old that he is with Jesus all the time and he doesn’t have to die to be with him. 

Thankfully the conversation didn’t drag on as inside I was breaking.  At the same time, when the Bible talks about we need to become like Children to enter the Kingdom of God, I think the innocence that my son had is exactly it. 

I want to encourage you today to become like a child in your faith.

Thursday Devotional - Firsthand Experience

John 20:2-8  ² So she [Mary Magdalene] came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” ³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.

Peter and John could have taken Mary at her word, but why not see the evidence firsthand? Seeing and experiencing the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection not only helped their immediate belief, but I’m sure it strengthened their confidence for the rest of their lives.

How do you and I seek firsthand experience with God’s evidence? One way is by reading and studying God’s Word personally, looking to know and understand the truth. For starters, you could re-read each day’s devotional passage (or read the verses in the context of the whole chapter) and journal about what you read. Answer questions like: What does it say about God? What does it say about people? What lesson can I apply? What do I find encouraging?    

We can learn from pastors and priests and speakers and podcasts and devotional writers, but nothing takes the place of firsthand experience!

Alice

The Quiet Storm

But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.  Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”  Mark 4:37-41

I was reminded of my brother’s wife while dealing with a situation.  She had a nickname of ‘Quiet Storm.’  She had that because of her soft spoken ways but strength that was unrelenting and unmistakable.  Although she passed away over 35 years ago, she left a great impression on all those she touched.  One of them was me.  She was strong in her faith, and I remember when she spoke, she spoke with a subtle seriousness that let me know she was no one to mess with.  Today, I miss her greatly, but am heartened by her spirit that lives in her children and in my memory.  I am reminded that in silence, there indeed can be strength.

God’s strength is within us to do what is necessary.  I read in Mark this story about Jesus, and could never really understand the depth of His strength here.  There was a storm threatening to take down the boat.  The disciples woke Him up in a panic.  The interesting part is the question they ask.  It wasn’t, “Jesus, help us,” or, “Jesus, can you save us, please?”  It was this disdainful almost self-righteous response saying, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”  Reading it now, it made perfect sense!  When you truly do not believe God is who He says He is, you ask questions as if He is not.  All of this commotion, and yet, Jesus is comfortably relaxing.  Then He shows in just a moment His authority saying, “Silence!  Be still!”  All is calm again.  In that moment, we understand the whole point.  In life, we have to endure storms, and we deal with the calamity and chaos that goes with it.  However if we know who Jesus is and we call on Him, we have His quiet strength.  When all around us is falling apart, we can find rest and peace to deal with all that is around us.

In the storms of life, we have the surety that Jesus Christ is our strength and refuge.  We have certainly seen mighty storms recently, but Jesus says in Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  Whether your storms are as visible as they are in Texas or unknown but just as challenging in your heart and soul, find strength in Him.  What is your storm today?  Where are you questioning Jesus when you should be asking Him?  My prayer is that we trust in Jesus Christ; the always dependable ‘Quiet Storm.’  Amen.