Key Passage
Jesus saw what happened. He did not like his followers telling the children not to come. Jesus said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people that are like these little children.”
— Mark 10:14 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
We must not do anything to keep “little ones”—whether that means new baby followers of Jesus or young children—from knowing the grace and power of Jesus! Even more than that, we must actively encourage and help the Lord’s “little ones” find their place in Jesus’ family, have their needs fulfilled by Jesus’ grace, and use their gifts as part of Jesus’ Body.
Prayer
O Father, please help me to never put off a child who needs to know your love. Help me and use me, O God, to show them your love and help them serve to your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Related Scriptures
At that time the followers came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus called a little child to come to him. Jesus stood the child before the followers. Then Jesus said, “I tell you the truth. You must change and become like little children {in your hearts}. If you don’t do this, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
The greatest (most important) person in the kingdom of heaven is the person that makes himself humble like this child. “If a person accepts a little child like this in my name, then that person accepts me. “If one of these little children believes in me, and another person causes that child to sin, then it will be very bad for that person. It would be better for that person to have a millstone tied around his neck and be drowned in the deep sea.
— Matthew 18:1-6
You can cry and cover the Lord’s altar with tears, but the Lord will not accept your gifts. The Lord will not be pleased with the things you bring to him. You ask, “Why are our gifts not accepted by the Lord?” Why? Because the Lord saw the bad things you did—he is a witness against you. He saw you cheat on your wife. You have been married to that woman since you were young. She was your girlfriend.
Then you made your vows to each other—and she became your wife. {But you cheated on her}. God wants husbands and wives to become one body and one spirit. Why? So they would have holy children. So protect that spiritual unity. Don’t cheat on your wife. She has been your wife from the time you were young. The Lord God of Israel says, “I hate divorce. And I hate the cruel things that men do. So protect your spiritual unity. Don’t cheat on your wife.”
— Malachi 2:13-16
Jesus said to them, “Now is the time for the Son of Man to receive his glory. I tell you the truth. A grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die. Then it grows and makes many seeds. But if it never dies, then it will always be only a single seed.
— John 12:23-24
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
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