Living in the Spirit
September 20, 2015

Scripture Reading: Mark 9:30-37

Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’ –Mark 9:36-37

There was a cute little video making the Facebook rounds sent to me recently. It shows a little girl, probably eighteen months to two years old, just having a fit standing in what appears to be the back seat of a car. Someone in the front seat apparently pops a CD in the player and it starts playing a children’s song. The voice over notes that it is the girl’s favorite song. In a moment, a twink of an eye, if you will, the tantrum turns to glee as she starts bouncing up and down smiling broadly and singing along. Someone no doubt who loved her knew her favorite song and gifted her with it when the frustrations of becoming an independent two year old had overwhelmed her for a time. She felt welcomed into the world on her road to maturity just as she was.

It is indeed easier to welcome some than others. I probably get most frustrated with myself because I do not always do what I know is healthy or productive or God’s will. I thus do not welcome myself as I would Jesus. I can get just as frustrated with others because they are not doing what I think is best for them. While in some instances I may be right in my judgment, I have never known trying to enforce my will on someone else to ever work. I am not welcoming them as I would Jesus recognizing that they are on the same journey as I am and that they must walk the path themselves just as I must. God does not enforce God’s will on any of us. Jesus understands that we must welcome God’s love and guidance for it to become our will recognizing it as what is best for our lives.

The great joy is God, when welcomed fully into our lives, is like the little girl’s favorite song. God makes all the puzzled pieces of our lives fit together making us whole.

Prayer:
Into my heart, into my heart,
 Come into my heart, Lord Jesus;
 Come in today, come in to stay;
 Come into my heart, Lord Jesus. 

Out of my heart, out of my heart,
 Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus;
 Shine out today, shine out always;
 Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus.* Amen.

*Into my Heart by Harry Clarke. See at http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/i/m/y/imyheart.htm

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.