[Dailydevo] Daily Devotion Tuesday August 9, 2005

[Barry Ludwig]

Daily Devotion Tuesday August 9, 2005

This week's devotions are written by members of our Tanzanian Mission team
(plus a few supporters) which is traveling to Tanzania August 11th and will
return on August 22nd.  We pray for their safety as they do God's work in a
new and exciting place! Today's devotion is written by Missionary, Mary
Ardner.

 

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

But to what will I compare this generation?  It is like children sitting in
the marketplaces and calling to one another, 'We played the flute for you,
and you did not dance; we wailed and you did not mourn.'  For John came
neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon'; the Son of Man
came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a
friend of tax collectors and sinners!"  Yet wisdom is vindicated by her
deeds."

At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and
have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the
Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone
to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.  Come me, all you that are weary and
are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you,
and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

 

What were your expectations for this trip?  It is easy to set expectations
about how we think something should work out, a job, a vacation, a mission
trip, the perfect friend, classmates, a roommate.  The Jews had expectations
that the messiah would come in power.  Many of the disciples including
Judas, expected that Christ would take over the world, but he came as a
small baby, grew up in a small community, preached to people in a very small
part of the world, healed lepers, ate with prostitutes, died on a cross, and
rose again to save us all.  How often do we notice the differences of people
around us?  How often do we think we are better than people who may have a
different color of skin, wear different clothes, live in different kinds of
homes, eat different foods, speak a different language, have different
opinions that us, seem to be acting strangely?  How often do you hear people
pray for America?  Christ said we are like little children.  In fact, God
offers his love and forgiveness to all of us who seek him.  Christ said we
are like little children.  In the words of the song we learned as children: 

 

Jesus loves the little children, 

all the children of the world.  

Red and yellow, black and white, 

they are precious in his sight.  

Jesus loves the little children of the world.  

 

We are equal in his eyes and he loves all of us equally.

 

Lord, open our ears, eyes, hearts and minds to all the ways you will come to
us today. Help us to accept people who live, look, and act differently from
us.  Amen.

 

 

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