Good Morning Friends,
I have said it before and will probably say it again, that both the good and bad news is 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 a 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 biases 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.Then in the Book of Joshua we have one of the most fascinating books of the Bible because…at one level, it relates the story of an ancient Hebrew and the people whom God called to lead into the Promised Land. At another level, it’s a personal story of sustained commitment and leadership of a man for God, his family and country. It’s the story of promise and the great expectations that God has for us. It makes us question whether or not we are living up to our potential and God’s promise. It takes us on a journey to explore what we believe and are willing to commit to. So, 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 will soon be receiving 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.We may live in a country that has a separation between Church and State but in our personal lives we were never intended to have a separation between the lives we live and the Kingdom of God.And this is especially true in the raising up of children in the Way they should go. 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 these children have a better chance of being good students, of feeling well adjusted socially, and of being happy. Healthy families are very important to the 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…a commitment to God. Healthy families including healthy children, and healthy churches including healthy leadership are building blocks of a healthy Kingdom of God including Christ as the Cornerstone.
And So, Jesus had his eye upon the children for good reason. Children can lead us to be more joyful.You see, a parent’s love for a child is manifested in many ways that keep that child’s family healthy and the bloodline going. So too God’s love can be manifested in the mobilization of the community of God to bless families with children and keep the church growing. Such is the touch of a person who loves God, loves others and helps make disciples by mentoring others and engaging youth of all ages to recognize they too belong to the Kingdom of God and a Covenant of Love.
Pray for families that serve the Lord over the course of generations. Pray for leaders committed to God. Pray for the children who honor their parents. 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. Pray we and our families seek the Lord realizing Jesus is our rock and salvation. Pray we are witness to the Gospel of Christ realizing the joy of children in guiding us on the journey.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 