With all the noise in the world, do you hear the voice of God? Your calendar tells you what to do, but do you remember who you are? Being comes before doing. This is a call to put first things first. Return to the Lord with this daily pattern of prayer and devotion. Set aside this time as a sanctuary. Find a space free of distraction and follow this pattern.
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross, and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matt. 5:4) O Lord, I suffer grief and loss. You alone are my comfort. Amen.
Word: Matthew 19:13-15
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away.
Meditation
In my family growing up, holidays were a big family gathering at my grandparents house with all my aunts and uncles and cousins. It was loud, the house was stuffy, chaos usually ensued, but it was beautiful. And of course at dinner, like many families, there were two tables. The adult table and the kids table. My grandparents have since passed and those family gatherings now just memories, but before they ended I never made it to the adult table. I was perpetually at the kids table.
In first century Palestine, children had no standing and no present value in society. Only in the potential they held in the future, were children seen to have worth.
It is in the midst of this culture that we see Jesus not only see children, but call them to him, bless them, and tell his disciples to be like them in order to inherit the kingdom. That is profound. That is backwards.
Our culture is often tempted to treat people only as well as they deserve based on their value. But the economy of the Kingdom of God is different. Value is not something that we bring to the table, but it is given to us by the King. We do not earn our place in the kingdom, we are given a seat by the Lord of Hosts. So pull up your chair next to King Jesus, he has a place for you at the kids table!
Prayer for Life as a Child of God
· For the Father to give me care and guidance.
· For forgiveness when I wander and want my own way.
· For the Father to keep me childlike in faith even as I age.
· For growth in faith, that I love and trust in God above all things.
· For strength to obey God.
· For the Father to heal my hurts.
· For assurance when I doubt.
Closing Prayer
Father, may my value for this world and the people in it, extend far beyond the uses I have for them. In Jesus’ name, Amen!