Key Passage
“Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people that are like these little children. I tell you the truth. You must accept the kingdom of God like a little child accepts things, or you will never enter it.”
— Mark 10:14b-15 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
We must have child-like faith to be a part of God’s Kingdom. So many things about the Kingdom require of us a “dangerous innocence” and genuine humility. Yet Jesus demonstrated these child-like qualities. He wants us to travel along our religious journey as trusting children of God, not as worldly wise theologically astute scholars. Now don’t take me wrong on this; we are not told to throw away our brains to become Christians. However, we are taught to live in a way that is often upside down to the world and its conventional wisdom. To do that, we need to go back and experience the gift of salvation, the magnificence of God, and the wonders of grace as wide-eyed, excitable children who trust in God’s ways, God’s love, and God’s care.
Prayer
O God, make my heart child-like and my faith fresh and new each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Related Scriptures
From this time on we don’t think of any person like the world thinks of people. It is true that in the past we thought of Christ like the world thinks. But we don’t think that way now. If any person is in Christ, then that person is made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new!
— 2 Corinthians 5:16-17
But when the right time came, God sent his Son. God’s Son was born from a woman. God’s Son lived under the law. God did this so that he could buy the freedom of the people who were under the law. God’s purpose was to make us his children. You are God’s children. That is why God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. The Spirit cries out, “Abba, Father.” So now you are not a slave like before. You are God’s child. God will give you the things he promised, because you are his child.
— Galatians 4:4-7
So don’t do anything to hurt {other people}, don’t lie, don’t do things to fool people, don’t be jealous, don’t say bad things about people. Put all these things out of your life. Be like babies that are newly born. Be hungry for the pure milk (teaching) that feeds your spirit. By drinking that you can grow up and be saved. You have already tasted the goodness of the Lord.
— 1 Peter 2:1-3
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
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