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Each week Pastor Sarah offers a devotional reflection to connect with the South Shore UMC Family. Use this entry as a way to prepare your heart and mind for worship. See you Sunday!
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Sunday’s Scripture ~ Luke 12:22-34.
Devotional Scripture ~ Matthew 11:25-26.
This Sunday South Shore UMC concludes our 2021 Stewardship Campaign and will celebrate our commitment cards in worship. We will also honor the saints in worship and gather around Christ's table to share Holy Communion. I look forward to this time of learning and reflection with the South Shore UMC Family. May God continue speaking to us that we would be further formed and transformed into the stewards God desires us to be.
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This morning Joshua asked for a scrambled egg for breakfast...which is his way of asking to cook. After I agreed, he ran to the kitchen. He opened the pantry and pointed at his stepladder. He helped me crack the egg. He scrambled the egg. He asked for a wooden spoon to manipulate the egg in the pan. He
reminded me the stove was HOT.
None of this phased me until he descended the step ladder, opened the utensil drawer, and looked into the drawer for the fork he wanted.
SINCE WHEN CAN MY KID LOOK DOWN INTO THE UTENSIL DRAWER!?
Where did my baby go? Guess this is part of what happens when you feed him scrambled eggs...he grows.
Joshua came to us as all children do - totally dependent on others - that care and love we happily provide. Joshua came to us al all children do - as a gift - a gift that we will treasure.
Always.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus praises children and the gift that is their child-like faith. He 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” (Mt 19:14). In Matthew 11 Jesus recognizes and lifts up the children – the infants – the people with a child-like faith - whose seeing causes and results in their belief. These persons witness what Jesus does and on those grounds testify who he is. They recognize and worship him as Son of God. Through him they know the Father. They are convinced. Some might say that these “children” are unintelligent for how easily they follow Jesus. To these, the Scripture says, the Kingdom belongs.
Our devotional Scripture says it is the Father's will that the gift of faith be revealed to children. This assures me in the knowledge that the gift of faith is open and available to all. Studies show that the earlier in life a person makes a faith commitment, the more that his or her faith commitment will remain a commitment throughout his or her life.
Let the children come to Jesus. They are welcome. They are gifts. They are and will be treasured always. In coming to Jesus, they can grow up in the knowledge of faith and the love of God.
And - if it agrees with them - they can grow with the help of scrambled eggs, too.
Reflection: Recall an early memory of your child-life faith, where you knew you were in the presence of God and/or experiencing the love of Jesus. Share that memory with a trusted family member or friend.
Prayer: "You satisfy the hungry heart with gift of finest wheat. Come, give to us, O saving Lord, the bread of life to eat. The mystery of your presence, Lord, no mortal tongue can tell; whom all the world cannot contain comes in our hearts to dwell. You satisfy the hungry heart with gift of finest wheat. Come, give to us, O saving Lord, the bread of life to eat."* Amen.
*“You Satisfy the Hungry Heart,” The United Methodist Hymnal 629.
Devotional Resource: The Weekly Prayer Project by Scarlet Hiltibidal
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