A Gift from God

Daily Reading: Matthew 18

 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matthew 18.2-6)

Devotional Thought: Though Jesus had a keen interest in children, he was swimming against the current.  In his day, children – while a blessing from the Lord – were not seen to have any “rights” or even any intrinsic value.  He worked hard to change that.

In our culture, we have divergent views about children.  On the one hand, we pamper them, we cater to them, and we even insist that we “put children first.”  On the other hand, we fail to protect them in the womb, we saddle them with incomprehensible national debt, and we test them rather than teach them.

Children complicate life.  It’s not easy bringing them up “in the fear and admonition of the Lord.”  There is no guidebook available for Christian parenting, addressing every conceivable situation.  Such a book would have as many pages as there are children in the world!  The Bible does provide us principles, however, that if prayerfully followed will help us navigate the waters of child-rearing.  In this passage, Jesus himself gave us healthy hints on raising children:

·       See them for what they are - great in the Kingdom of Heaven! 

·       Become like them in faith and humility.

·       Receive them in the name of Jesus.

·       Protect them from sin. 

"Children are a gift from God; they are his reward" (Psalm 127.3, TLB)

Prayer: Lord, help me to see children - whether my own or others' - as a gift from God.  Help me to value them, invest in them, learn from them, and lead them to you.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 92.1-9

1  It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, 3 to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. 4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. 5 How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep! 6 The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: 7 that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; 8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever. 9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.