The Faith of a Child!
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Readings for Today - Go to www.biblegateway.com to access online for full readings
Psalm 31:1-5
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.
Exodus 4:1-5:9
Signs for Moses
1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?” 2 Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. 3 The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4 Then the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 “This,” said the LORD, “is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.” 6 Then the LORD said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous[a]—it had become as white as snow. 7 “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh. 8 Then the LORD said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. 9 But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.”10 Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”11 The LORD said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”14 Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”
Matthew 19:13-22
The Little Children and Jesus
13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Our readings today start with King David, who tells us how God has become His refuge. Despite all the things that have happened in his life, he has learned to put his trust in the Lord. He prays for God to come quickly to his aid, but is patient enough to wait up God for deliverance. Jesus picks up on David’s prayer in 31:5 when on the cross he cries, “Into your hands I commend my spirit, deliver me faithful Lord!” In David, we see a man of God who has learned how to completely surrender his life to the Lord.
In Moses, we see a man who is learning how to surrender his life into the Lord’s hands. Though God shows him miraculous signs like throwing down the staff which turns into a snake and then grabbing it by the tail and it becomes a staff again, Moses can only mutter, “Oh please send someone else.” Have you ever said that to the Lord, “Please send someone else!” In His mercy God supplies help in the form of his brother Aaron to be the speaker, but God is still committed to using Moses despite his reticence and lack of confidence. This all too human story reminds us that God uses fragile people like you and me.
Finally, in our gospel, we see the sharp contrast in the type of people God uses with the statement “do not hinder the children for such belongs the kingdom”. Contrast this with the story of the rich man who God could not use, “He went away sad because of his great wealth.” Thus we are reminded in all 3 passages that it is not money, skill or intelligence that is most useful to the Lord, but faith in God’s promises to do what He will do. As the writer of Chronicles says, “God searches to and fro on the earth to see whose heart is completely committed to him.”
Do you have this one quality that God is looking for? Remember faith is a gift from God! But our faith grows as we exercise it one day at a time. Look for situations this week where you can have the faith of a child and bring in God’s kingdom.
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him. Psalm 22:27
God desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the
truth. 1 Timothy 2:4
Lord, help us to remain faithful while we take our journey as a people to worship you in the beauty of your holiness. Give us a better understanding, knowledge and saving grace as we walk in your devout light! Amen.
Readings for Today - Go to www.biblegateway.com to access online for full readings
Psalm 31:1-5
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.
Exodus 4:1-5:9
Signs for Moses
1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?” 2 Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. 3 The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4 Then the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 “This,” said the LORD, “is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.” 6 Then the LORD said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous[a]—it had become as white as snow. 7 “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh. 8 Then the LORD said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. 9 But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.”10 Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”11 The LORD said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”14 Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”
Matthew 19:13-22
The Little Children and Jesus
13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Our readings today start with King David, who tells us how God has become His refuge. Despite all the things that have happened in his life, he has learned to put his trust in the Lord. He prays for God to come quickly to his aid, but is patient enough to wait up God for deliverance. Jesus picks up on David’s prayer in 31:5 when on the cross he cries, “Into your hands I commend my spirit, deliver me faithful Lord!” In David, we see a man of God who has learned how to completely surrender his life to the Lord.
In Moses, we see a man who is learning how to surrender his life into the Lord’s hands. Though God shows him miraculous signs like throwing down the staff which turns into a snake and then grabbing it by the tail and it becomes a staff again, Moses can only mutter, “Oh please send someone else.” Have you ever said that to the Lord, “Please send someone else!” In His mercy God supplies help in the form of his brother Aaron to be the speaker, but God is still committed to using Moses despite his reticence and lack of confidence. This all too human story reminds us that God uses fragile people like you and me.
Finally, in our gospel, we see the sharp contrast in the type of people God uses with the statement “do not hinder the children for such belongs the kingdom”. Contrast this with the story of the rich man who God could not use, “He went away sad because of his great wealth.” Thus we are reminded in all 3 passages that it is not money, skill or intelligence that is most useful to the Lord, but faith in God’s promises to do what He will do. As the writer of Chronicles says, “God searches to and fro on the earth to see whose heart is completely committed to him.”
Do you have this one quality that God is looking for? Remember faith is a gift from God! But our faith grows as we exercise it one day at a time. Look for situations this week where you can have the faith of a child and bring in God’s kingdom.
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him. Psalm 22:27
God desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the
truth. 1 Timothy 2:4
Lord, help us to remain faithful while we take our journey as a people to worship you in the beauty of your holiness. Give us a better understanding, knowledge and saving grace as we walk in your devout light! Amen.
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