Hi Friends, Diane here. I love how this verse starts out with calling us, “little children.” This should be one of the most relieving and refreshing names God calls you and me. (Jn 1:12) It talks about how we belong to God. It helps us understand that we are still growing, learning, maturing…and yes, still messing up. This is what children do. No excuse. Just our reality. But this also should keep us humble, and hopefully, attached to God, our Father’s side.
There is nothing negative about being called a child. Jesus, Himself, encourages us to become like children if we really want to have and experience the Kingdom of Heaven. (Mt 18:3) In an ideal world, children are innocent, not really getting the full impact of the consequences of life. Children are resilient, quick to recover from any problem or struggle. Children are playful, seeking the joy in any and all situations. And children are loved, no matter what they do. We are quick to forgive them and continue to love them, because we know they are not going to get it all right, all the time. Children are a blessing to those who will love them unconditionally…and God definitely knows we are all merely children, and so He loves us unconditionally.
What else is amazing about children? Children just believe. They don’t question the father’s faithfulness. They trust that, whatever is happening, the father has things well in hand, and would never allow anything to harm them. And so children continue to do what they know they should, and leave the rest to the father. Question is: are we children, or are we still trying to be the parent instead? Today, won’t you make the choice to, once and for all, be a child of God. Allow this to be your greatest identity marker…and the peace and joy, will come along with it.
Join me in memorizing 52 verses this year:
January: 1- Jn 3:16; 2- 2Co 5:17; 3- Jas 2:26; 4- Eph 2:10
February: 5- Jn 10:10; 6- Ro 6:23; 7- Rev 21:4; 8- Php 4:13
March: 9- 1Pe 5:7; 10- Jn 8:32; 11- Dt 30:19; 12- Jn 3:30; 13- 2Chron 20:3
April: 14- 2Chron 20:12; 15- 2Chron 20:15b; 16- 2Chron 20:17
May: 17- Ro 8:28; 18- 1Co 13:13; 19- Php 2:12; 20- Mt 5:4
June: 21- Lk 23:42; 22- Jas 4:7; 23- Pr 22:6; 24- Mt 5:3; 25- Jn 14:6
July: 26- Jas 2:19; 27- Dt 31:8; 28- Jn 14:15; 29- Jn 8:11
30- Ro 8:1
31- Pr 4:23
32- Pr 18:21
33- Ps 118:24
34- 1Jn 4:4
<>< Peace Diane
