Eyes Of A Child

How can one weigh the joy children have when together? They are inventive in all that they do and their activities are all surrounded with having fun while they learn. Perhaps they can teach us in this area of life. I know that I am always discovering new things when watching children play. As adults we look at the same things that they do, but children sometimes see things completely different.

Jesus says this about children: Matt. 18:1-5 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

"Lord give me the eyes and heart of a child today, so that I may see as you do."

God Waits Patiently

Yesterday the storm was passing out of Winona early in the morning. I enjoyed watching the sun peak through the clouds. A few minutes later the sky cleared and the air started to warm up. It is much like this in life, we wait for the storms to pass, but they sometimes seem to hold on much too long.

Matthew 8:24 says:

And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep.

Like the disciples struggling to stay afloat in the midst of the storm, do we sometimes think that our Lord is not caring about our needs? At first glance at this passage we might think that. Jesus is sleeping while death seems to be knocking at their collective doors. The fact is Jesus is the creator of the same world that we struggle in. He does care for us as he did for the disciples in this incident in the boat.

I once read that a person was panicking out in the water while it was seen by others that a lifeguard was nearby in the water, apparently doing nothing. People were aghast at his behavior. "How could he do this, watch this poor man drown?" Later the lifeguard was accosted by these same people after dragging the drowning person to safety. "Why didn't you help this man earlier, he could have drowned?" The man replied that if he had, they both would have drown due the other man's panicked state. "He would have pulled us both down, I had to wait until his energy was depleted in order to help him."

Like Jesus in the boat with the disciples, he waits for us to come to him for help. Though we sometimes try everything on our own strength first.

Wouldn't it have been better for the disciples to have awakened Jesus when the storm was first starting? We would think so, wouldn't we. Jesus wants us to come to him with our cares even if we think it is a small issue or that of a tempest. Matthew 11: 28-29 says: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.

Listening Heart

Romans 16:19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. 

This can a challenge at times with the media everywhere. Our anchor though is in God's word and he helps us through his Holy Spirit. "Lord, give me ears to listen to you speaking to me and a heart that is desiring of your will."

When Darkness Comes

When darkness comes into our lives, it is hard to see the sun. Jesus promised us though that he will be there, even when we do not "feel" it. Sadness, heartache, and loss will not disappear, but Jesus will take them into his hands if we give them to him. He then will hold us and comfort our hurts with his loving arms. In 2 Corthinians 1:4 Paul tells us this: "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." Sometimes answers are not what is needed, but understanding love with no words, only arms enfolding us.
Matthew 5:4  Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.