Become Like Children…
Jesus and the Children; Stained glass window in St. Mary’s church, Dalham, Suffolk, depicting Jesus calling the children to himself. Photo by Steve Day, flicckr
Meditation
The Fourth Day of Lent makes things simple. True to human form, the disciples jockeyed for position: who is greatest was the question from more than one. So Judas Iscariot was not the only one, who was heading down a self-aggrandizing track.
Here were the chosen few, completely missing what Jesus had been talking about. He stressed love, kindness, fairness, and humility. The disciples evidently figured power was the key. Who was in charge? Who was best?
Even today, we fixate on the ranking of people. Who is better than whom?
Jesus took them back to the basics…gently but emphatically—unless you become like a child and put your trust in God like a child trusts parents, guardians, and people in general—completely—we can’t be saved. We must have faith and trust in God, like a child expects the parent to care for him/her.
As adults we grow more skeptical, less trusting. Most often, because our trust has been violated by someone along the way. The sad thing is Jesus recognizes that some adults will harm children and he addresses it: better a millstone (ranging in weight from 200 pounds to 1000s of pounds depending on size) hang around the neck of the offender and s/he be tossed into the sea. Death by drowning is better for adults, who lead children astray.
But God is trustworthy. God is reliable. Our choice is to become like a child and believe. Faith is believing without the proof. Children do that frequently. I think of The Christmas Story and the child’s belief that his parents would get him the Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle. That kind of belief. Persistent. Unfailing. Unwavering. Wouldn’t that be great, if adults could find that kind of faith in God?
I think that is why God said King David was a man after his own heart—David, a man who had sexual relations with a woman not his wife (how many leaders do we write off because of sexual misdeeds?) and then became involved in a cover up (sending Bathsheba’s husband to war, hoping he would be killed—how many politicians have been caught in a cover up? President Nixon?) and then become involved in murder (Bathsheba’s husband was moved to the front and the rest retreat leaving him exposed to insure his death—there have been many murderer headlines in front news court rooms). We would write a person off for any of those things, saying his career is over. So why would God say he is a man after his own heart? Because when David confessed his sins, he was genuine.
Psalm 51 is all about cleansing the heart of sin. But first we must acknowledge/own our sin. Then confess it. And trust God to do as promised—faithfully forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Lent is about own our relationship to God. Owning our sin. Confessing it and allowing God to transform us for the better. Then we can be like children—with that whole hearted trust in God. My mother had that implicit trust, from the time she took my nine year old hand and assured me the Lord would provide, after we buried my dad. God remained faithful all these years. Life may have given us some hard knocks, but I have seen the safe-guarding hand working every bad moment.
Last night, my husband and I were driving to a birthday party for a niece. He pulled over and said, the car was smoking—I lifted up a silent prayer, while he checked under the hood.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Click on the Scriptures for links to biblegateway.com, where many translations of the same text enhance the understanding the readings, which come from the (RCL) Revised Common Lectionary – Daily Lectionary
Readings. I add a Daily Prayer to bless you with God’s Favor.
Enjoy the Daily Encouragement and Bible Study and may you be inspired to be your best self for this Season of Lent.
Lenten Music
I Surrender All – CeCe Winans
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Lent Art
Jesus and Children
Jesus and Children; Stained glass by Kempe and Co. in the north aisle of St. Mary’s church Dullingham, Cambridgeshire. Steve Day, flickr
Dear Lord, Forgive – Mahalia Jackson
(This song totally gets what Jesus wants us to be)
Season of Lent Bible Readings
(multiple versions)
Fourth Day of Lent
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Psalm 51:1-17
New Century Version (NCV) [This prayer of confession is worthy of memorizing it as a whole.]
A Prayer for Forgiveness
For the director of music. A psalm of David when the prophet Nathan came to David after David’s sin with Bathsheba.
51 God, be merciful to me
because you are loving.
Because you are always ready to be merciful,
wipe out all my wrongs.
2 Wash away all my guilt
and make me clean again.
3 I know about my wrongs,
and I can’t forget my sin.
4 You are the only one I have sinned against;
I have done what you say is wrong.
You are right when you speak
and fair when you judge.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God;
and renew a right spirit within me.
Season of Lent Hymns
Just as I Am — Antrim Mennonite A Capella Choir
Single Bible Study chapter to study
King James Version (KJV)
18 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Who is the Greatest? Stained glass in Budock parish church, at Falmouth in Cornwall. Photo by Steve Day, flickr
2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Unless you become like children, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Charles J. Connick Gouaches – Massachusetts; Photo by Boston Public Library, flickr
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
![Orphaned Children Pre-1960-no date recorded. "Receive one of these, receive me'" Jesus says.Call Number: LC-B2- 618-3 [P&P] Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print; Photo by Children's Bureau Centennial; flickr](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8099/8527282025_9cf62c9146.jpg)
“Receive one of these, receive me'” Jesus says. Orphaned Children Pre-1960-no date recorded; Call Number: LC-B2- 618-3 [P&P] Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print; Photo by Children’s Bureau Centennial; flickr
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Millstone, Richardson Millstone; Photo by DM; flickr
7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Dear God, Thank you for accepting us as we are, with all our flaws and sins. Help us be faithful and trusting as children in our effort to be all you want us to be. In Jesus name. Amen.
Season of Lent Music
Precious Lord/Yes, Jesus Loves Me – Whitney House
Wonderfilled – Owl City
(Be like a child and believe, be kind, do good, make life better..)
Season of Lent Humor
The Millstone Divers Club
Jeff Larson. the backpew.com Used by permission
I hope you found a chance to encounter your Creator and experience the Love of God and the joy of Christ in this Season of Lent.
Conclusion
On the Fourth Day of Lent, we have been challenged to be like children. I love the commercial for Oreos with its song, Wonderfilled, because it capitalizes on the feelings of wonder for children (of all ages). That wonder children show when discovering everything translate to their trusting of God, too. They believe. Simply. I was blessed when I was a child of four, attending a summer camp with my family. My teacher showed us the Wordless Book song and talked of stealing as a sin. I had stolen a cookie from the cookie jar before dinner that past week before camp. Even my mother didn’t catch me. But I felt totally convicted of my sinfulness and tearfully asked Jesus to come into my heart that day. I wrote that I was saved in the Bible my mom and dad gave me. I remember that day as if it were yesterday. I believed. Completely. No reservations. Absolute conviction. Total assurance. I was saved.
I think that is the essence of the spirit of children that Jesus was referring to. Can we duplicate that total belief? That is our task during Lent. Be like a child again and believe.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. Please like if it was meaningful. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins, will also do.
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