Mews from Meowmix

I typically read a devotional each day from Power for Today.  Today’s  reading struck me as especially simple and poignant, and I wanted to share it with you, along with some thoughts of my own.  Here it is pretty much verbatim from the magazine.

“The Wisdom of Innocence (Mark 10:13-16)

Bible Thought:  I praise you, Father…because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.  (Luke 10:21)

 I told my 9-year-old granddaughter that if she memorized the books of the Bible, I would give her a prize for each 5 books she learned in sequence.  The following week, she came into the kitchen, promptly quoted the first 5 books, got her prize, and left the room.  As I began making a snack for her 5-year-old sister, the 5-year-old asked, “Grandma, did my sister get a prize for saying ‘Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy?’  In shock, I looked down into her wise, questioning eyes.  Instantly, I saw complete innocence, trust, love, and adoration.  I saw a yearning to learn.  That’s what Jesus was talking about!  He wants us to WANT to learn about Him.  He wants us to love and adore Him in complete trust and innocence.  When we do, we will get the best prize imaginable.  Praise God!”

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. – Psalm 111:10

Hymn: Jesus Loves Me.  Prayer: Thank you, God, for the children You have blessed us with and for the wisdom in innocent faith.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The thought I had after reading this was how truly simple it really is.  We can let it get all mucked up with questions and opinions of our own and the fears and distresses of this life, but what Jesus wants from us is the simple, innocent trust that our children have.  We are, after all, His children.  Not being children, it’s a lot easier said than done…………..but He has urged us to “become as little children and accept the kingdom of God as one.”

I once heard a preacher I respected a lot talk about a turning point in his life, many years into his ministry.  He was so overcome with how badly he had missed the mark……and the simplicity of it all……….that he found himself prostrate on the floor of his home humbly asking to be forgiven.  He stopped his sermon and led the congregation in “Jesus Loves Me,” adding that’s what his experience had taught him and he wanted to share it with his hearers that night.

So many of us are seeking peace today.  Some who do not know Christ don’t even know that it is peace they are looking for; they just know their hearts ache and something is missing.  Lots of us who do know Christ have aching hearts, too, and need to feel His peace surround us……………………………and it will if we can only humble ourselves to accept it as our 5-year-olds would.  How many times in my life has my greatest need been to simply be reminded that “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!”

Tonight as I write what’s on my heart, I want to share a definition of peace that has come to me.

P-Providential

E-empathy,

A-acceptance, and

C-compassion, for

E-eternity.

Through God’s great love and mercy, he provided for our salvation by sending Jesus to not only die for us but to live on this earth in human flesh.  Since He did, Jesus has complete empathy for my human condition and offers acceptance (in spite of my imperfections) and compassion now and for eternity.  It really is quiet simple, though I make it hard sometimes.

TODAY’S SMILES:

1. Not having a structured agenda for the day!

2. Fat Bird (yes, again!) just sitting out by the sidewalk in the rain, getting his feathers wet!

3. My warm, comfortable home.

4. Having family near in my warm, comfortable home.

5. A note in the mail from a friend.

6. Having to reprint the front cover page of the directory on GREEN paper just because that silly preacher of ours likes green!

7. The city got around to fixing the hole in the sidewalk in front of our neighbor’s house!

8. Greg’s funeral director story!

Have a good weekend, my friends.  May God’s peace and joy be yours.