But [the Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

“Little ones to him belong, they are weak but he is strong.” This line comes from “Jesus Loves Me” a popular children’s song for many churches and religious early childhood ministries. When we sing of “little ones,” we often think of children and babies. But we are the “little ones” too! We are weak, and Jesus is strong.

Before Adam and Eve sinned, how different things must have been! There was no pain, no sadness, and no weakness. After they disobeyed God, sin entered the world and mankind became very weak. We were also born into this sin and it is as if we, too, were with them in the garden that day. Although we try to read and obey God’s Word, we fall short. Every. Single. Day.

The world says that we are strong when we have power. The world says that we are strong when we have power in our jobs, over our finances, power in the community, and even power over other people. Not so! Christians struggle against this idea, knowing that it is God that makes us strong. Our sinful nature, our constant wrongdoing, our inability to be perfect—these show just how weak we are even if the world sees us as powerful. When we are weak, we go to our God for comfort, and then it is God who strengthens us. God’s power is much bigger than our weaknesses.

So what does God want us to do? He wants us to come to HIM for strength, not ourselves, not the world. He wants us to trust that HE has the power, that his grace—undeserved love, won for us through the blood of Jesus—is all we need.

How do we go to God? God wants us to pray to him. When we are weak, we pray to God and ask him to help us through our trouble. We ask him to help us resist temptations of the world. God always hears when we pray.

We also go to God by reading his Word, the Bible. We study his Word in church, with other believers, with our families, and also privately. Failure to stay connected to Jesus through his Word is like starving ourselves spiritually. Every time we read the Bible, God speaks to us and strengthens us.

We are strong in Christ. We were weak—but Christ makes us strong! By praying to God and reading the Bible we can be strong IN Christ, and then we can be strong FOR Christ. How thankful we are that God makes us strong through the work of Jesus! We can be at peace knowing that the work of Jesus and his love for us will carry us through this life until we see him again in heaven.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the love you have freely given me. Thank you for strengthening me with your Word so that I can share that love and strength with others. Amen.

[Jesus] got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 4:39-41

A kindergarten teacher ends each day of school saying to the class, “And remember! I love you, . . . your parents love you, . . . and Jesus loves you best of all.” Think of how much love parents have for their children, and yet Jesus loves the children even more! Jesus cares about the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, but he loves US, the people he redeemed, best of all. We can feel at peace knowing that he loves us and wants the best for us.

This was a lesson that Jesus taught the disciples that day when he suggested that they go to the other side of the lake. He suggested this trip to the disciples, who were experienced fishermen. And, as experienced fishermen, they also knew that the surrounding hills made storms common on this lake. But it seems this storm was different. This storm rattled the disciples to the core, so much that they feared for their lives.

Where was Jesus? Asleep! “Didn’t he care if they drowned?” the disciples asked. And then Jesus showed them, once again, that he is truly God. He calmed the storm by using the same two things that God used at the time of creation—his power and his words. It was completely calm immediately! Usually a storm will subside slowly, perhaps the thunder and lightning easing up first, then the wind and rain dying down to a sprinkle and slow breeze. But when Jesus said the words, the “furious squall”, as the Bible describes it, was immediately and completely calm!

Did Jesus care if they drowned? Of course Jesus cared. Jesus loved them “best of all!” Jesus reminded them of this when he said, “Why are you afraid?” He made peace during the storm and gave them peace in their hearts.

When we have storms Jesus wants us to come to him. Sometimes our pride and arrogance get in the way and we think we can handle everything on our own. Sometimes we resent God for not stopping the “storms” that come into our lives, and sometimes we doubt that he can help us. Sometimes we forget that he does care, that he “loves us best of all.”

Why are we still afraid? Jesus loves us so much that he gave his life. He died for all people, and with his death he took away all our sins. He that has power over the wind and the waves has claimed us as his forever. We are his forever because of the life and death of Jesus, so we need not be afraid!
Everything in the world is in the hands of our God. Jesus had full control over the storm in the boat that day, and he has control over our storms of today. Everything in the world—then and now—is in control the of our heavenly Father. So have peace in your heart—Jesus loves you best of all!

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,
Sometimes I am afraid and forget to trust you with my whole heart. Thank you for giving me peace today knowing that you love me and died for me. May I carry that peace with me all the days of my life. Amen.

Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Psalm 51:5-7

One of the joys of opening up the pages of the Scriptures with someone who is not overly familiar with them, is when they come to the realization just how real-life these accounts are. I have lost count how many times I have heard an expression like this: “Pastor, these people, weren’t always so good, were they?” Or this one, with a bit of brutal honesty: “Pastor, I’m not any better than them, am I?”

Go ahead and read the context for Psalm 51, 2 Samuel chapters 11 and following. Go ahead and get angry what David did, a man “after the Lord’s heart” who’s life’s story would earn a TV-MA rating on Netflix. Go ahead and ask: “How could David???” in righteous indignation.

And when you’re done going down that road, with the Ten Commandments by your side, go ahead and ask, not how could David, but how could I?

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. (And with thanks to Professors Mark Paustian and Ken Cherney and Daniel Deutschlander, the latter of whom now rests from his labors!, for I think I heard it from all three at one point or another) The sin you are capable of, you have done.

Conceived in sin, our actions have given evidence of the fact. Surely I was sinful at birth…and David continues: A broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

How could David? How could you? How could I?

How could God?!? This is God’s mercy on display: he does not despise your broken heart. He does not turn a deaf ear to your confession. He does not delight in the death of sinners. He rejoices in cleansing you; washing you; forgiving you!

Prayer:

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Amen.

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:14-16

The veteran parent—twinkle in her eye—says to a newbie teacher: “I’ll only believe half of what they tell me, if you promise to do the same.”

How many stories do you have to tell from another school year? A few likely bring tears and, I pray, many more bring a smile and a laugh.

And the story, the over-arching story, the one to fill your ears and your hearts this very day, is his story.

• It’s a story told first to a member of the Jewish ruling council. Nicodemus is his name. A man who came to Jesus at night—wondering and questioning.
• It’s a story told to you, a story of love undeserved, a story of love that seeks your best interest, a story of a gift, a story of love come down from heaven in the person of Jesus Christ, a story of the only-begotten Son, for you.
• It’s a story of life! It’s a story that says death (which you were born into, and which you see all around you) is not the end of your story.
• It’s a story of faith, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
• It’s a story of eternal life, a story that casts a beautiful shade on all the other stories that you hear; stories that you live; stories that you tell.

The Holy Trinity has brought you into the story: baptized in his name.

The Holy Trinity has given you a place to hear that story, again and again, and through that story, he loves you and strengthens you and gives you a new way to live.

If you find yourself this day looking back over months that could be characterized as “the best” or “the hardest”; if you find yourself this day gearing up for new blessings and new challenges that come with the summer months, how blessed you are:

• To be part of a world that God loved, and loves.
• To be the recipient of this beautiful good news: For God so loved the world that he gave…
• To be a child of eternal life.
• To be put in a place where those words again get to come out of your lips and hit the ears of those so dear to your Savior Jesus, and to trust that the Lord will bless the telling and re-telling of that story for this generation, too.

For God so loved the world that he gave…and that gift is for you!

Prayer:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—bless the hearing and telling of your story again this day. Amen.

Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

John 17:11, 17-18

It is a privilege to be part of our students’ preparation for eternity. Read that again…slowly. “…part of their preparation for eternity.” Wow. The Holy Spirit is using you to strengthen the faith of the youngest of believers.

Do you feel like that when you are cutting out a dozen or two paper caterpillars? What about when laminating sun shaped name tags or creating a new bulletin board to finish out the school year? Well, if you don’t feel like that during those times, just know that it’s true. He is using you.

In the verses above, as Jesus prepares to leave this earth, he is praying for God to protect his disciples.

We can pray that same prayer over our students. During this time of year, many of us will be saying goodbye to our students and watching them enter their next level of education. Our time with them is done and we pray that God has used us to prepare them, not only in their knowledge of the A,B,C’s and 1,2,3’s, but also in their faith walk with him.

In verse 17, it reads, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Sanctify means to set apart, to purify. What a prayer! Set them apart, Lord. Purify them. By what? The truth! His Word. That is why you have been teaching Bible lessons to your students all year. That is why you’ve been singing his praises with them. His truth sets them apart.

The laminating, the cutting, the preparation, the exciting times and the monotonous times. Doing your work faithfully and with a joyful heart has been a blessing to your students. He has used you to prepare them for a life that goes beyond the classroom. What a privilege.

Once this year’s group of students walk out of your classroom, soon and very soon, another group of children will enter in. The cycle will continue. The lesson plans will start over. The sensory tables will refill. And while that preparation is used to build the brain, we know the most important work is to strengthen the heart for Jesus. What a privilege we have. What a blessing to watch His lambs grow in the knowledge and love of their Savior.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, make my students one in you! Help them to hold strong to the truths that they learned this school year and be with them as they let their light shine to others. Thank you for the privilege I have to share the gospel message with them. Help me be faithful in my work and produce joyful service in your name. Amen.

A Question to Consider:
Do you think your students can tell, from your attitude, that you are happy to be their teacher? Tell them! Let them know!

This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:10-11

If I’m being honest, this has been a difficult devotion to write. It is almost like I feel hypocritical encouraging you all to love like Jesus does, when I struggle to do it myself. But knowing I, like you, am a sinner/saint, I can struggle and still encourage at the same time. We all better be able to do that because the pressure to love perfectly is not on us. It was taken off our shoulders when Jesus hung on that cross. We will fall short. We will fail. But forgiven in Christ we can always ask God for a heart that beats first for him and secondly, for others.

Children have a good sense of how to love.

“But he took my blocks!”, “She skipped me in line!”, “I had that first!” and so on and so on.

Isn’t it funny how little kids can be mad one second and best friends the next? How impressive is that kind of quick forgiveness? You see it in the classroom all the time. Friends can be mad at each other during carpet time, but then attached at the hip once they get out on the playground.

When does that change? When does that become so hard? To freely forgive. I do not know about you, but I struggle with forgiveness sometimes. I struggle to freely forgive those who hurt me or make my life hard. And yet, “…since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

How can we not? How can we not show that kind of love to one another?

He provides. He is faithful. Honest. Loving. Merciful. True. Caring. Kind.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to perfectly be faithful, honest, loving, merciful, true, caring, kind? What if the world was like that? What if we, as Christians, led the way? All the time? What a beautiful world that would be.

It seems like such a simple constant, yet it might just be one of the hardest things to do.

I am going to encourage you to stay in the Word. When loving others becomes hard, dive deep in the Word and be reminded of his love for you. Shift the focus off your shortcomings and instead, place it all on his amazing love.

Open the Old Testament and be reminded of his faithfulness to His people.

Open the New Testament and be in awe of his love to the ones who were loved the least.

He is the perfect example. He has an unbroken track record of his love for you. A love that forgives us freely so we too can love.

A love like that. How can we not?

Prayer:
Perfect Savior, I am so grateful for your forgiving love and your example. Thank you for showing me how to love in every situation. Help me to be in your Word, daily, so that I am reminded and encouraged of how to love others. Amen.

A Question to Consider:
Who is someone that you could show love to today? Make a plan and show them that you care.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”

John 10:14-16

By this time in the school year, we may feel like we know our students pretty well. I know who loves the art center and who will pull out the blocks at play time. I know my right handers and left handers. I know who is struggling with letter recognition and who is already reading. But there’s so much about my students I don’t know. Even after a year together, children find ways to surprise me.

Jesus, our Good Shepherd, is never surprised. He knows us even better than we know ourselves. He knows what brings us joy and what makes us cry. And he knows our deepest darkest secrets. Every sin we have ever committed, Jesus knows about. That might distress us; we don’t want Jesus to know about our sinful thoughts, our careless words, and our selfish actions. The amazing thing is that Jesus loves us anyway. He did what no earthly shepherd would do for lowly sheep. He laid down his life for us so we may be with him forever.

Our Shepherd knows us, and we know the Shepherd. God gives us his Word in the Bible so that we may get to know Jesus. God’s Word points out our need for our Savior because of our sins. We read about God’s plan of sending his own son to take those sins away. We receive the wonderful promise of a home in heaven with our Good Shepherd.

Then God uses us to share this knowledge with others. We get to talk about Jesus with our students every day. We use God’s Word to teach and correct and train them. And our students share their faith and strengthen us as well. We know we are part of God’s flock.

King David wrote about our Good Shepherd with these familiar words, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:1-3, 6)

Prayer:

Savior, like a shepherd lead us; much we need your tender care.
In your pleasant pastures feed us; for our use your folds prepare.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, you have bought us; yours we are.
Ever let us seek your favor; ever let us do your will.
Blessed Lord and only Savior, with your love our hope fulfill.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, you have loved us; love us still. Amen.
Let All the People Praise You, p. 262: 1, 3

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

John 20:19-23

Peace – that’s not the first word most teachers associate with a busy classroom. Children play, shout out answers, sometimes argue. The classroom can be a joyful, noisy place, but peaceful? Not so often.

Peace – that’s probably not how the disciples were feeling that first Easter evening. They saw their Savior put on trial, crucified, and buried. Would they be next? Then some women told them that Jesus was alive. But that would be too good to be true. Confused, sad, scared – that’s what the disciples likely felt.

Peace – that was the first word Jesus said to his astonished disciples when he appeared to them in that locked room. With the realization that their Savior was alive, the disciples truly could have peace in their hearts. This peace was better than any earthly peace. Before his death, Jesus had told his disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Jesus brings everlasting peace. Troubles of this world will fade away, but we have what we need for eternity. We are washed clean of our sins, we will conquer death, and we will join Jesus in heaven. That is peace.

Jesus told his disciples not to keep this peace to themselves. “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21). The disciples’ lifework became sharing that peace with the world. We also are sent to share God’s peace. Every day we get to share the special news with our students: “Jesus loves you. Jesus took your sins away. Jesus will always be with you.” And they share that peace with us too. When they sing their Jesus songs and proclaim their faith, they strengthen us. And when they go home and share what they’ve learned, Jesus’ peace is spread even further.

Peace isn’t a quiet classroom. Peace is a classroom of people who talk about Jesus, who know his love and share that love with others, who sing and pray and praise God. Peace be with you.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for bringing me true peace through your death and resurrection. Let that knowledge strengthen me so I can share your peace with others. Amen.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The punishment that brought us peace was on him,
And by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to our own way;
And the Lord has laid on him
The iniquity of us all

Isaiah 53:5-6

Have you ever been unhappy to finish a good book? As you move through the pages, you become emotionally invested. Chapters go by until finally, the ending looms and the journey is complete. You are left with only heart-felt memories and an anxious hope that the author will continue the narrative in another volume.

Without a doubt, the Bible is incomparable to other texts with its holy author and divine purpose. But readers can still be emotionally engaged when reading it. It would be difficult to read any verse in Isaiah 53 without being drawn in by the prophet’s description of Jesus. Our text cuts directly to Calvary’s hill in the final moments before Jesus’ death.

We find Jesus bearing God’s judgement all on his own. Jesus was pierced. He was crushed. He was wounded. God laid on him the sins of us all. In Isaiah’s description, our Savior is finishing his work with no one there to help him. Oh, we are present in Isaiah’s account, but our role is not to help Jesus. We could not help Jesus. We are the very reason Jesus is in this circumstance. So, Isaiah rightly compares us to sheep that have gone astray. It is our waywardness that God cannot tolerate. It is, in fact, our punishment that our Great Substitute is accepting.

Further in Isaiah 53 we see that Jesus accomplished his divine mission with his death. Our Great Substitute died. Under normal circumstances, the last chapter would quickly follow. But this is God’s book with God’s words describing God’s plan and promises. God does not close his book here and leave us emotionally spent. If he did, that would surely be our finale as well. No, there is another chapter. Spoiler alert! In that magnificent chapter, God accepts Jesus’ sacrifice and Jesus rises. Jesus is not dead! He is alive!

That leads to the next chapter for us too! His death is our death. His life is our life. Just as Jesus was not left alone on Calvary’s hill, our death will not be the end of our story either. God promised us another chapter in our lives. Because of Jesus, we anxiously wait for our faithful God to deliver that promise of life in heaven. This time though, God will not need to describe it to us. Because of Jesus, he will allow us to experience it for ourselves! What a profound experience that will be!

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for being our Great Substitute!  Thank you for fulfilling God’s promises so that we can experience the next chapter of our lives- in heaven with you!  Amen!

Questions for Reflection: How do I look forward to my life in heaven that is to come?  How do I help the children in my care look forward to their life with Jesus?

Want to know more?  What is heaven?  From WhatAboutJesus.com

Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:4-5

I love spring!  After a frigid winter with only brown grass, dried up stalks in the fields and skeletal trees on the horizon, seeing skinny, green shoots and plump, colorful buds appear is comforting!  The lawns change color.  Trees fill out.  Gardens and fields become promising again.  What a relief we are not stuck in the season of winter forever!  Life comes again- full of purpose and activity!

Our text for this week talks about our spiritual spring.  “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our sin.”  We were dead.  In reality, we were even more barren than our winter gardens.  Our sinful hearts, even more withered than a December tree.  Our spiritual potential was even more depleted than a field of expired stalks.  We were dead!  Mired in only our own filthy sins.  No potential.  No purpose.  No activity.

We would have certainly stayed that way too if God’s merciful love had not given us life.  Though we did not earn or deserve it, God loved us!  As we lay wasted, God sent his Son, Jesus Christ!  Yes, even while we were still ensnared in our own sin, God changed our direction completely!  Now, through Jesus, we have a spiritual springtime! In Christ, our sins are forgiven, and our dead hearts are now alive!  Jesus melts our winter into life.  Life produces.  Life has purpose and identity.  Life is beautiful!

Because of Jesus, our new hearts produce thankfulness that honors God by serving others around us.  It might be that our service calls us to be patient as we work with children and assist our families in their training.  Because of Jesus, our new lives have purpose.  What an honor to be called, “teacher” as our daily activities prepare little hearts and hands and voices to know their Savior.  Because of Jesus, our identity has been transformed.  Faith in our Savior now identifies us as a child of God, and we work tirelessly with the littlest in his family.  Because of Jesus, our life is stunningly beautiful and only becomes more so as our faith grows!

Our spring has come!  Grow by hearing his Word.  Shake off your winter and welcome the opportunities God puts before you to love others.  Serve them in Jesus’ name.  New life in Jesus is beautiful!

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for giving my life purpose and identity.  Help me to use my life to honor you.  Amen!

Question for Reflection: How do I use my daily activities to serve God and others?

Want to know more?  What is my purpose in life?  From WhatAboutJesus.com

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”

Mark 8:34-35

How are you doing?  If you gave up something for Lent, are you still holding strong or have you abandoned your sacrifice?  The tradition of denying something of pleasure for the six weeks leading up to Easter has been a challenge taken on by millions over the generations.  The motivation to sacrifice chocolate, as an example, is supposedly to lead the self-disciplined individual to remember Jesus’ suffering and ultimate sacrifice on the cross.  Six weeks does not sound that long!  A small sacrifice should not be that difficult!  Yet, for many the Lenten denial is surrendered in favor of the easy way out.

It is challenging to give up something you love, to deny yourself what you want.  Sometimes, we even act like our children when we must sacrifice something we value.  However, in our text we see Jesus gather up his followers for a special tutorial on discipleship instructing them to do exactly that.  “… deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

To be sure, denying ourselves- taking up our cross and following Jesus, is vastly different than sacrificing a pleasure for six weeks.  Denying ourselves is understanding that nothing in this life is more important than our faith in Jesus and the salvation of our souls- not money or property or personal connections.  Heaven is not gained with those.

But how are you doing?  Are you taking your faith life seriously or are you, like me, hanging your head in shame over the time you binge watched a TV series but did not find time to have a personal devotion?  Are your shoulders slumping, like mine, over the time you did not feel well enough to attend worship but work was too important to miss?  Do your eyes lower, like mine, over all of the times you prioritized this life instead of your eternal life.

We groan, “God forgive us!”  Then Jesus lifts our sin-weary head and takes our wretched hands and says, “You are forgiven!  Look!  See the cross I took up for you?  That is where I spread my arms to bear each time you denied me instead of this world.  That is where I give you strength to live for me!”

So how are you doing?  Well, on our own, we fail!  Only in Jesus do we have the strength to deny ourselves, bear our cross and follow him.  Draw near to Jesus.  Hear his Word.  Receive his forgiveness.  Then bear your cross with his strength.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for forgiving me when I deny you!  Help me remember your cross as I daily live for you!  Amen!

Question for Reflection: What part of my day denies Jesus?  How can I move forward in Jesus’ forgiveness and strength?

Want to know more?  I’m not perfect; I make mistakes!  So what?  From WhatAboutJesus.com

I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

1 Corinthians 9: 22b-23

Home visits and parent orientations are always exciting. You’re getting ready to start a new year or a child is about to join your classroom for the first time. But there can be some anxiety, too, as teachers get confronted with ideas from families of all backgrounds and opinions.

The writer of our verses today, Paul, was no stranger to handling such things. Throughout his ministry, he worked with people of a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and ideologies. How did Paul handle such a challenge? Our verses tell us that Paul “became all things to all people.” Why? So that through the good news about Jesus, he “might save some.” God had given Paul a heart that was so excited to share about Jesus that he was willing to do almost anything (without changing God’s message) to do just that.

God has given us hearts to share the love of Jesus, too. But sometimes our perceptions can make that a struggle. We see parents’ practices and thoughts about eating, sleeping, toilet-training, academic learning, etc. and it can be a challenge to meet them where they’re at!

That’s when Paul’s words and Jesus’ ultimate carrying out of those words can help us pause. How perfectly Jesus carried out these words for us! The way we (and all people) thought and did things couldn’t have been further from what God had intended when he first created this world. Yet Jesus left his glorious home in heaven and literally became one of us. He preached to people of all backgrounds, to people who agreed with his words and violently disagreed. Then he reached his final goal: becoming the sacrifice for all people, so that through giving his life on the cross he might not only save some, but all!

This love makes our hearts desire to be all things to others, too. We look at the mom who grew up in a different culture, and we seek to understand and build a relationship with her, so that maybe the good news about Jesus can be shared. We listen to the parents concerned about their child’s academic growth, and we look for opportunities to encourage their family in the most important growth of all, growth in the knowledge of their Savior.

Our efforts to be all things to all people will only bear fruit as God wills, but when they do, Paul reminds us that we, too, will get to share in the blessings. What better blessing than to witness another soul knowing Jesus!

Prayer:
Jesus, how often we have looked down upon others who are different from ourselves! Forgive us! In your grace, you became everything to all people so that we could be saved. Help us to find ways to be all things to those around us so that we might share the ultimate blessing of the hope of heaven with them. In your name we ask this, amen.

A Question to Consider:
Identify one family in your setting who might be able to use some extra consideration and understanding from your staff.  What could that support look like?  What deliberate steps could you take to build that relationship so that the gospel can be shared?

Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh.  Now Nineveh was a very large city; The Ninevites believed God.  A fast was proclaimed and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.  When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. 

Jonah 3: 1-3a, 5, 10

“You can’t play with us.  Only girls wearing pink can use the dress-up right now.”

Does it ever take you by surprise when your sweet students show such unkindness to one another?  Even when we’re little, our hearts love to set up dividing lines between “us” and “them.”

In our verses today, God had commanded Jonah to preach his Word in a city called Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian kingdom. The Assyrians were no friend of Jonah’s people.  When God gave Jonah this directive, Jonah chose to run.  Just after our verses above, we find the reason for Jonah’s avoidance: because he knew that God was a “gracious and compassionate God.”  Jonah, God’s very own prophet, did not want to share God’s message with “them.”

We can find this attitude leaking into our lives, too.  It can be difficult to share God’s forgiveness with the little boy who has tested our patience all morning long.  Our hearts may think, “Does he really deserve this, again?”  Or, while we may chat eagerly with one mom, taking the time to build a relationship, we quickly bustle out the mom who arrives a hot mess at 5:36, and we sidestep the dad who questioned us earlier in the week altogether.

Thank the Lord that he is so unlike each of us!  Though the Ninevites had been bitter enemies of his people, God longed for them to turn to him.  That kind of grace is unfathomable to our human logic!  But doesn’t it also bring us such joy?  Because, if God’s grace is truly for all, even those whom most regarded as outside God’s circle, then God’s grace is for us, too.  When Jesus died on the cross, he gave his life for the sins of the little girls in the opening story and for the little boy who tried your patience today. He died for the moms and dads who make our work a joy, and the moms and dads who don’t do things quite as we’d like or who even confront us regularly.  He died for the teacher who shared his grace today, and he died for the teacher who forgot, put self above the needs of another, or avoided the opportunity altogether.  Jesus died for you!  God’s undeserved love, his grace, is for you!  What an awesome opportunity we have each day to share his grace with others!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for your undeserved grace.  As I look into the faces of those you have given me to serve, whether big or small, help me to see them with your eyes, as individuals you died for and dearly love.  When I fail, remind me of your unwavering grace for me and give me renewed energy to try again.  In your name I ask this, amen.

A Question to Consider: God’s grace, his undeserved love, binds us to each other.  Think about the families in your care.  How can you be a purposeful witness of God’s grace to both the easy and the more challenging families you serve?

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Mark 1:9-11

My oldest child almost didn’t get baptized. Ok, that might be a bit drastic. I should say, our original date for her baptism almost got cancelled. Of all days, a blizzard raged on and our pastor called off church. We had family in town and my post-partum emotions were drowning in sadness at the fact that our “special day” wasn’t going to work out the way we thought. Then it happened…a “Baptism Day” miracle! Our pastor called and told us that he was going to make the trip to our house, in a middle of a monster snowstorm, to baptize our daughter. What a guy.

That’s not the only miracle that happened that day. God’s amazing grace washed over my daughter through the sacrament of Holy Baptism. She was stamped as one of his own. It was one of the best days of my life. Most definitely of hers as well.

There is nothing that can stop the Holy Spirit from doing what he is going to do. He is that powerful. No circumstance. No weather pattern. No emotional meltdown. The power of the Holy Spirit can do the unimaginable.

Even John the Baptist tried to stop a baptism. The baptism of Jesus! In the account in Matthew 3:14, we read, “But John tried to deter him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’” Basically saying, “Who am I, to baptize YOU?”. But the Holy Spirit prevailed. Nothing can stop him from what he is going to do.

Take comfort in that, friends! He is powerful.

As you teach God’s little lambs think of that power. Think of that faith that he’s strengthening day in and day out, using you as one of his tools. What a privilege it is to preach the gospel. The faith that he’s working in their hearts is new, but oh, so strong. What an awesome job we have of telling the truths of God’s Word to these little ones. We are merely the mouthpiece, but the Holy Spirit is the POWER that causes his Word to take root in their little hearts.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, I am in awe of your power. Please continue to strengthen my faith and the faith of my students. Lord, help me to stay in your Word and faithful in my devotion to you. I cling to your unstoppable power. Amen

A Question to Consider: Who do you know that could use the reminders and encouragement of these verses? Consider sharing them with them by forwarding this devotion and perhaps including a personal word of encouragement.

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace.

Micah 5:2,4-5a

10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…Happy New Year!

Isn’t is fun to count down and wonder what’s coming next? I suppose if surprises aren’t your thing, maybe the countdown doesn’t bring such joy. Maybe you used to like countdowns, but 2020 changed you mind. It’s understandable.

Last year, I remember getting my colorful dry-erase markers out and making my calendar look perfect and cute as I filled in all of the fun things to look forward to. The calendar sure did look great, that is, until the end of March. My calendar was extremely confused at the end of March. Nothing I planned was happening. April and May seemed to be confused as well. So yes, if 2020 changed your mind about countdowns, I fully understand.

There’s good news though, friends. Get excited, because whatever 2021 has in store for you, you are in the best hands. If you think you’re too weak and can’t handle what’s coming, guess what…you have the strength of the Lord on your side. If you think the darkness of the world is taking over, go ahead and stand in awe of his majestic name. If you’re struggling with the unrest of the past, bask in the peace in knowing that we live SECURELY in the greatness of our God found in the one sent to Bethlehem’s stable, Jesus our King and Savior.

As we welcome God’s littlest of lambs back to the classroom this New Year, let us shower them with the truth that he will be our peace in whatever comes our way. Instill in them the confidence that though they are small, they are mighty in the One who whose greatness reaches to the ends of the earth.  Let us encourage each other to praise his Holy Name and thank him for his continued faithfulness in our lives.

I will probably still try to make my calendar look perfect and cute this year. I can’t help it. I love color coding! I will say though, I will have my eraser ready and tackle each day with the confidence in knowing that He is in control.

Stay in the Word, friends. Daily be immersed in his promises. In Truth!
May God bless you today and always.
Happy New Year!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for being my strength. Help me look to you throughout this year and find comfort in your promise of peace. Amen. 

Question to Consider: Do you have “Praise God” written on your calendar anywhere? It’s not something typically you’d see written down, but maybe pick a day or two a month and jot it down as a reminder to intentionally praise his Holy name. Dance to a Christian song. Pick up that old instrument that you used to play and worship him. Say a prayer of thanksgiving. Praise him all year through!