Today’s Devotional Theme Let The Little Children Come
Daily ScriptureMark 10:13-15
“Then they brought little children to Him, that He may touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.’”
Encouragement
Right from the start, children are filled with wonder about the world around them. As a kid, I long ago watched a large garden spider spin her web from start to finish. It was a wonder to behold. First the spider “framed” her web with straight silk threads extending from nearby supports and attached them to the future web’s center. I marveled that the spider seemed to “know” exactly what she was doing. I continued to gaze rapturously as she spun and spiraled an unbroken silk strand inward toward the center of the structure, attaching it to each support leg with a tiny spot of mucilage. The entire construction took 40 minutes with a very large spectator – me – directing every fiber of my attention to the project, wondering how that spider could be “smart” enough to weave such an intricate and beautiful structure. One late fall Sunday evening we drove to church under a glistening golden-white rising moon hanging beneath an indigo sky. When we arrived, my 7 year old daughter asked me, “Daddy, why does the moon follow us but the street light by our house doesn’t?” I was dumbfounded for a few seconds. How do you tell a 7 year old that far away objects appear to move much less than ones just 100 feet away? I tried to explain but knew my effort was falling flat even as I forged on with it.
Apply God’s Word
The gospel writers are silent about why Jesus’ disciples objected to the moms and dads bringing their kids to Jesus for a blessing. Even the Talmud, a huge commentary on the Torah written mainly by post-resurrection rabbis, has passages about children and the wonder with which they view nature. Whatever the reason, the Master was indignant, delivering a sharp rebuke to the disciples. Then He delivers a zinger. You have to have the credulity of a little child to be a “citizen” of the kingdom! Children don’t care about erudite explanations about why things are as they are. They ask why the sky is blue instead of red, but a fancy explanation based on differential diffraction of light of different wavelengths isn’t going to go far with them.
Come into His Presence
Father God, Who framed the universe and holds everything together, I regard Your sublime creation with awe. I humbly admit I don’t have to understand everything, or for that matter anything at all, to deeply appreciate Your beautiful handiwork. Help me to come to You like a child. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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