Like a little child

Mark 10:13-16.

Praise God! Happy new year!!!

There's a phrase every parent has said at some point, "Stop nagging me" or "Will you give it a rest". Or maybe you have a unique response to a constant "Are we there yet?", "Can I have ice cream for breakfast?"... or something else a little kid will invent just to call for your attention.

The passage conveys one of Jesus' teachings on the kingdom of God. (The Kingdom of God, now referring to the lordship of the crucified and risen Christ - His reign - the life He gives)

In the first century, children and women were not held in high regard publicly - a societal norm that Jesus frequently addressed. Sadly we see this reflected in the passage as the disciples rebuked people for bringing little children to Jesus (v13). In response to this, Jesus rebuked his disciples. He then invited the little children:

"Let them come to me ... for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (v14)

Jesus then stresses (in v15) that we can only experience the life He gives when we come like a child with faith, trust, and total dependence.

Psalms 23 shows the benefits of depending on God. Some practical ways we depend on God are through

Prayer
Studying the Word
Acting rightly
Spiritual fruits/disciplines (Galatians 5:22-23).

Reflect & Pray

What would life look like if you depended on God for everything, knowing that He will never ask you to "give it a rest" or "stop nagging me"? (He does not grow tired or weary. Isaiah 40:28)

Father God, help us remember to always come to You like a little child, and know the joy of Your Presence, in Jesus name.

God bless you exceedingly,
Sam.

God’s mercy: sovereign over all

Jonah 1:1-16. I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas break. Happy New Year! Have you ever had one of those sat-nav moments where no matter how far off course you go, it keeps rerouting and repeating “make a u-turn.” That’s the story of Jonah. God sends him north-east to Nineveh, but Jonah heads west to Joppa instead. And the book shows us something remarkable: God’s response to people on the wrong route isn’t abandonment, but mercy. Like a sat-nav, He keeps rerouting and calling us back to Himself. Jonah takes us on a journey into the nature of God’s mercy. In today’s passage, as we see the striking stubbornness of Jonah toward God, we begin to see the saving sovereignty of God’s mercy. In spite of Jonah’s refusal of God’s directive, God is still in control. He commands and can change all things (Ps 148:5, Jer 32:17). ...

The Birth that affects everyone

Luke 2:10-15. (The message of the angel to the shepherds). When a baby is born, people celebrate, send gifts, and travel from all over to see the baby. And it can be pretty expensive for those of us with siblings all over. Often, when we see the baby, we make physical remarks like: “Oh, she’s got a round head like her dad”, or “his eyes are like his mum’s,” or “the baby’s so cute”, or “isn’t it lovely that she sleeps a lot”. All these remarks are not remarks of expectation. We’re not expecting anything from the baby for ourselves, let alone for everyone; that would be odd. But many years ago, a baby was born, and an angel appeared to some shepherds, informing them that this birth had implications for all people (v10). This birth affects everyone, you and me, both in this life and in the next. What did th...

God’s response to repentance is great joy

Luke 15. (The Parables of the Lost…Sheep, Coin and Son). The three parables were Jesus’ response to a criticism from the Pharisees. They saw that tax collectors and sinners gathered around Jesus, and that He welcomed and ate with them (v1-2). And Jesus likened the tax collectors and sinners who had gathered around Him to something important that was lost (v3-32). Can you recall a time you lost something important? I once arrived at the airport and realised my passport wasn’t in my jacket. I thought, could I have forgotten it? In the middle of the check-in area, with everyone stirring, I emptied my hand luggage; my clothes, bank cards, documents, laptop, and everything else were scattered all over the place. I finally found my passport, which I had hurriedly packed with my clothes. Out of excitement, I yelled, “Yes, found it!” A few people began ...

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