Do You Realize The Importance Of Godly Commitments For Kingdom Health?
Good Morning Friends,
I have said it before and will probably say it again, that the church is like a family. In today’s lectionary scripture, we see the importance of dealing honestly with youth as an important part of community. Jesus opens the door to the inclusion of this class of the population that were not highly valued at the time…children. The good, bad and ugly of the situation is that our prejudices and bias as to the value of some people in the community of the called-out assembly need to be set aside. We need to extend love. In a way, Jesus links the promises of God to our dedication of effort in acknowledging our responsibility for children as well as their role in the future Kingdom of God. Do You Realize The Importance Of Godly Commitments For Kingdom Health?
Scripture: “Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.” But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.” And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!” Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem. Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak in the sanctuary of the Lord. Joshua said to all the people, “See, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us; therefore it shall be a witness against you, if you deal falsely with your God.” So Joshua sent the people away to their inheritances. After these things Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being one hundred ten years old.
Joshua 24:14-29 (NRSV)
Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.
Matthew 19:13-15 (NRSV)
Message: I do not exactly understand how the scripture is selected for the lectionary but have found the timing to be more than appropriate to the events of the society in which I live. For example, school started this week and I also received our estimated tax bill which includes the cost of public education. So, it seems fitting that this week we have had passages, on children, to complement the one on taxes and marriage. And as I reflect on the passage from Joshua, the importance of long term commitments kind of wraps them up in a neat bow. So, the connection I would like to make here, as a message, is regarding the health of families and marriages and the health of the Kingdom of God. You see data has for many years shown that children from healthy families are at substantially less risk for drug abuse, teen pregnancy, school dropout, suicide, and a whole host of other problems. A child’s first and best teacher can and should be their parents. Statistically children have a better chance of being good students, of feeling well adjusted socially, and of being happy. Healthy families are very important to community. But sometimes we forget that what children really need to be exposed to is people and parents trying and working hard to build something that is deeply important. Jesus had his eye upon the children for good reason. You see, a parent’s love for a child is manifested in the struggling to keep that child’s family healthy. So too God’s love can be manifested in the mobilization of the community of God to bless families with children. Such is the touch of the teacher engaging youth to recognize they too belong to the Kingdom of God.
Pray for families. Pray for the children. Pray for the future of the Kingdom of God. Pray we are committed to building great lives for families. Pray we invest our time, lives, and resources for the Kingdom of God. Pray we make commitments like Joshua and Jesus that last.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 