“If only.” I would imagine that every person has thought this at least once and probably many times. “If only it wasn’t raining.” “If only I could pay off this one bill.” “If only I knew. I would have done or said things differently.” “If only I had someone I could count on.”

We all have our own “if onlys”. We think that if that one thing didn’t exist or could be solved, our lives would be fine, and we would be at peace. Worry wouldn’t keep us up at night and stress wouldn’t fill our days. “If only…”

In our Bible verses for today, Jesus’ dear friend Lazarus had died. Jesus is coming to see Mary and Martha. As they see him coming Martha goes out to greet him. In verse 21 we read that Martha says to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When we read those words, we can almost hear the heartbreak in her words. Her next sentence expresses her faith. “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” When Jesus tells her that her brother will rise again, her words of faith are heard. “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” These words reflect confidence in Jesus the Savior. Even more importantly, they remind us who Jesus is—God’s Son and what he can do. Jesus is all powerful and even has power over life and death. Jesus responds to Martha with the words of comfort and assurance only he can share, “I am the resurrection and the life. The ones who believe in me will live, even though they die.”

Martha is grieving one of the closest people to her. Her sister Mary is as well. We are told that when Jesus saw Mary and those around her weeping, he also wept. Jesus, our Savior, our brother knows Mary and Martha’s grief and knows the same about us. His words to Martha and then to Mary and the miracle he does in raising Lazarus are incredible sources comfort and encouragement for us. Jesus cares deeply for each of us and knows our sorrows and our struggles. He came to earth and lived a perfect life to cover every one of our imperfections. He showed Mary and Martha and all of us that while death is a painful reminder and a result of a sin-filled world, he has power over life and death. Our Savior who has that power and who loves us so deeply, is always with us. We can believe and trust his words and his promises. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. For those who believe in him, the promise of heaven is already kept.

This side of heaven, the struggles continue. The challenges that come as a result of a sin-filled world are always with us. But our Savior, Jesus, is also with us. He promises to be with us in all of our “if onlys”. He kept his promise to be our Savior. Our sins, the worst of our “if onlys”, have been taken care of. We are forgiven. We can face our struggles with confidence knowing we are not alone. We have a dear friend in Jesus who will be with us through it all. “If only we had a Savior?” Done! Jesus is yours and he is mine.

If you knew that someone really important was coming to your house, it’s very likely that you would get to work. You’d want the house to be spotless. You would carefully consider your outfit and be sure you were freshly showered with hair just so. What you wore to clean out the gardens will not work for this guest. You put on an air of togetherness. In your heart, you know it’s a façade. But for the short time the visitor is at your house, the game is on.

Today’s verse is another one of those that is completely upside down by our thinking. “While we were still sinners.” If Jesus were that guest coming to your home, (which he does every day without ringing a doorbell.), you would likely take all that cleaning and all that personal prep to the extreme. “I don’t want him to see me like this!”, you might think. And then there he is…early. Your house is still a mess, your hair looks like you’ve never met a comb, and you’re still wearing the grubs that are saved for cleaning. But your concern goes deeper. You know your heart and you know your sin. You know that there isn’t enough cleaning to get rid of the sin and guilt you carry. You are not at all ready. But Jesus is. And there he is, at your door, smiling with open arms.

That’s us. “While we were still sinners.” That’s us each and every day. We’ll never have a day where sin doesn’t impact our lives. Out of gratitude for all God has done, we try. We work at being kinder, more patient, more generous, more reflective of his grace. And every day we could make an embarrassing list of ways we fall short. And that’s only the things we remember. It makes no sense that Jesus would love us. And yet, not only does he love us, “Christ died for us.” What God sees when he looks at us is hard to imagine because what he sees, because of Jesus, is perfection. He sees you and I as redeemed (bought back) children of his. He didn’t wait for us to “get it right” or “to do better.” Nope. “While we were still sinners.” That kind of love for us is hard to grasp but it’s true. His love is only dependent on him and not dependent on anything we might try to do. He chose to demonstrate his love by his death on the cross. His death was much more than a tragic event. It was the day that God’s Son, Jesus, took all the sins of all the world on himself and paid for all that unimaginable guilt by his death.

So, what do we do now? We can begin with a thankful heart that recognizes that you and I bring nothing of value to God and yet he treasures us as his own dear children. We can continue to grow in faith by being in the Word. We can seek to reflect and share God’s grace to others out of gratitude for what he has done for us. “God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Thank you, Lord.

My son has been struggling with lying lately. It’s heartbreaking. A situation occurred recently where I wanted to believe him so badly, but my trust in him was so weak that I just couldn’t do it. His feelings were so hurt, and my heart just broke. It’s a character flaw and we are working very hard to correct it.

This same son is the one that prays so freely and openly. He’s aware of his shortcomings, and he prays, fervently, for the Lord to change his ways. The same son that breaks my heart with his lies, is an example for me when it comes to his trust in the only One who can give him the help that he needs to fix it.

Our students, while young, are not immune to the struggle of sin. They are tempted, daily, to turn from God. It’s important to take these sins seriously. One of our jobs as Christian educators is to help our students recognize these sins and take them to the Lord for forgiveness and strength to turn from them.

While lying might not be my struggle, I could list several other sins that are. I bet you could too.

Without God, we are defeated. But friends, we are not without God.

When we feel like we have lost and that the temptation is too great, remember that we have Jesus on our side. He has already won the battle. Nothing, no temptation is too hard for him. In fact, he’s been in the same situation before. Yet unlike us, he never once stumbled or gave in to temptation. He was everything we are not and cannot be. His sin-free life was lived so that he could die as a sacrifice to pay for our sins.

That same Savior from the consequences of our sins also shows us how we too can face temptation. With his empowering forgiveness, sin no longer rules over us. We too can say “No. Away from me, Satan!” We can use that same command and know that we are not alone in the struggle.

My son does not need to battle his sin alone. Your students do not need to feel like their struggle is too great. Help them be aware of their sin and then show them their Savior. Lead them to the cross where he defeated the enemy and came out the Champion.

I continually pray for my son to stay in the way of the Lord. I pray he stays close to Jesus all the days of his life. I am sure that you pray that same prayer for your students. Continue to pray that prayer. Sin will constantly be knocking on their door, but they are not alone. The Champion is on their side.

Odds are your classroom is covered in hearts right now. They might be hanging from your ceiling. They are probably scattered throughout your weekly newsletter. Who knows? Maybe you even have them on your classroom windows.

Love is in the air! The hearts are wonderful. The treats are delicious. The parties are fun. This time of year is exciting to celebrate.

When we teach our students about love, we inevitably teach them John 3:16 “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.” and 1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us”. There are other “love” passages from the Bible that we might memorize with our class as well, but the verse for today, might not be the first one to come to mind.
“Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD.” Psalm 119:1.

Sometimes when we think of the law, we don’t always think of it as loving. When we have this mindset, we miss out on the wonderful privileges that are attached with keeping the law. The law keeps us close to God. It keeps us on the straight and narrow path to righteousness.

When we present our classroom rules at the beginning of the year, they are not to frustrate or make things difficult for our students. No, they are to keep things running smoothly, and make our classroom safe, and to allow us to have fun with each other as we learn.

“Walking in the way of the Lord” can be difficult to do, due to our sinful nature, but “blessed are those whose ways are blameless”. The word translated “blameless” here actually means “complete”. The psalmist is talking about a person who is completely dedicated to the Lord, a person who has fully surrendered themselves to God. In that there is great blessing because we know a life of complete surrender is a life that relies totally on God and his mercy.

That mercy of God, given to us in Christ, is what calls us to love as we walk in his ways. His forgiveness moves us past our failures and renews us to take up the call to love. Our complete surrender leads us to call on God for help even as we encourage our students to do the same. For he loves them and he hears their cries to him.

So let’s joyfully take up the task!

There’s a building on the campus of UC San Diego that looks completely upside-down. UC San Diego has a highly respected school of engineering. The campus library structure is an inverted pyramid. To the novice like you and me, that building makes no sense. It’s a feat of engineering skill and knowledge. (To see the building, search for UC San Diego Geisel Library. It was named for Theodore Geisel who you may know as Dr. Suess.) For the visitor to campus, it’s a must see.

Today’s short reading is from the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. It comes from the section called The Beatitudes. Each of the eight statements begins with the words, “Blessed are…”. The statements continue with words such a poor in spirit, mourn, meek, hunger and thirst for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, persecuted. What a mix of ideas! As we consider them, you and I would likely strive to be merciful, pure in heart, a peacemaker. Those are qualities that are admired and respected. As we look at other statements, you and I might wonder what is meant.

For today, let’s focus on the first one—poor in spirit. Why would being poor in spirit be a blessing? This phrase is not referencing someone who is like Eeyore. It’s not talking about someone who is constantly walking around dejected and gloomy. The poor in spirit are those who recognize their own weaknesses and sinfulness. They know that on their own, they can do nothing about their sin. No matter how hard one might work, the perfection that God demands is never attainable. God demands one hundred percent perfection. We are able to provide zero. This doesn’t make us blessed, but God’s grace does. In our weakness we realize our desperate need for a Savior. Through faith God gives us the credit for Jesus’ perfection. The peace of forgiveness and the promise of heaven is ours because of Jesus’ perfect life, his death, and his resurrection. What a blessing!

For us, that’s upside-down thinking. The perfect one, Jesus, pays for the sins of the imperfect, ours. We, the poor in spirit sinners, become rich in God’s mercy. We are blessed beyond words. The Beatitudes are words of comfort and encouragement for the Christian. May the Lord continue to bless each of you as you grow in faith and in the knowledge of God’s grace for us.

One of the things that children love in just about any generation is a hero or superhero. Such people or characters have qualities that can lead to extraordinary acts of heroism. Supernatural strength and superpowers save the day against all odds.

Our reading today talks about Jesus, the one who is above and beyond any superhero we could ever imagine. John the Baptist sees Jesus walking past and says, “Look, the Lamb of God.” But wait. The Lamb? Of all the images in the world, a lamb? That doesn’t sound like a Savior or a superhero. Yes. A lamb.

When we think of a lamb, words like soft, sweet, gentle come to mind. Stuffed animals or a picturesque field with rolling grass and a quiet stream come to mind. If danger crawls into the picture, it’s the shepherd who comes to the rescue, not a mild-mannered lamb.

The lamb had significant meaning for God’s people. In the Old Testament, a lamb was used in sacrifices. The priest would use a lamb that didn’t have any spots or blemishes and sacrifice it on behalf of the sins of the people. The perfect lamb, who had no responsibility for the sins of the people, was offered on behalf of them. God is the one who told the people to do so, and God was pleased with the offering of a lamb. For centuries, this was the custom.

So, when John said to two of his disciples, “Look, the Lamb of God.”, they would have thought of the sacrificed lambs and the promised Messiah. God had promised that one day a Savior would come to take away their sins. Now, here they were, witnessing the promised Lamb. What a stunning moment!
That Lamb is Jesus, our Savior. The gentle, meek one, who without resistance and completely willing took our place. He was the sacrifice that we needed. He lived a perfect life. He lived among us and faced all the trials and temptations that we do. He kept every law of God perfectly. And then, after living that perfect life, he was crucified for us. He truly is the Lamb of God.

Our lives are full of blessings and challenges. Each day we struggle with our sin. We all have guilt with which we wrestle, things that can make us anxious or fearful, discouraged or disappointed. But with hearts of faith, we too can encourage each other to look at the Lamb of God. Our sins are covered by him and our Savior knows and understands our challenges. We can go to him with all our troubles knowing he hears with understanding and is eager to help out of a love for us that is beyond understanding.

Superheroes can be fun. Their amazing feats of bravery and strength make us want to cheer. None can compare with our Lamb of God. Look to him and be reminded of the peace we have with God because of him.

Timing can make a big difference, right? A snowstorm can seem far more beautiful on a day when you were already planning to be home. That item you needed goes on sale just days after you purchase it. You really want to talk to a parent and share something significant about their child and they stop in at the end of the day.

Timing can make a big difference. Back in the Garden of Eden, God promised he would send his Son to be the Savior of the world. From that day forward, God’s people were watching and waiting. Will it be today? This month? This year? In my lifetime? Centuries went by before God determined that “the time had fully come.” While the prophets told about it long before Jesus was born, God’s timing came about in such an unexpected way by our thinking.

First—he was born of an ordinary woman, chosen by God.

Second—our verses for today say that he was “born under the law.” That means that God’s Son, to fulfill the promise God made in the Garden, had to keep every law of God. He had to be living perfectly in tune with God’s will.

Third—Why? Why did God do all this? For you. For me. For countless others. He did this out of love so that we could be adopted as God’s dear child. Being adopted is a big deal. Adopted as God’s child? An immeasurable blessing. Being part of a family is amazing. Being chosen by God to be a member of his family…indescribable!

That blessing includes the peace we have in knowing that we are saved by God’s grace. The promise that we can spend eternity in heaven is fulfilled. Like a son or daughter in an earthly sense, we can’t do anything to make the adoption happen. God’s Spirit fills our hearts with faith and we are heirs with the inheritance being the gift of eternal life with him in heaven. Because of Jesus, we can say, “Abba, Father.” We can go to God, our Father, as his child.

As the ambiance of Christmas begins to fade in the world around you, stop and ponder today’s reading. Through the faith-work of the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ perfect life, death, and resurrection, you are God’s child, his family. You are dearly loved, bought at a great price in Jesus, and an heir of eternity.

God has always found a way to draw near to his people. Scripture shows us time and time again that God not only wants to reign over us, but he also wants to be close to us. When your whole life revolves around working with kids, it can be easy to forget that you also are a child, a child of God. He loves you as his own son or daughter, because that is exactly what you are to him—his beloved family. Therefore, we see him creating new ways to be “Immanuel”- God with us, just as a father longs to be with his children.

With Adam and Eve, God created a beautiful and perfect garden for his children to enjoy and for him to dwell among them. We see God provide for them and walk with them as his own dear children.

Even after we had fallen into sin, we watch as the Israelites wandered in the desert and God made plans for a tabernacle where the people could draw near to God and God’s glory could dwell among his people.

After the Israelites entered the promised land, God instructed Old Testament believers to make a temple where his children could worship him and God could bring atonement and grace to his people, dwelling among them as Immanuel.

Today, we know that God dwells in our hearts. He comes to us in Word and Sacrament. We worship him together with other believers—all of us, the sons and daughters of our Father in heaven where we know he is preparing yet another place for us to dwell with him perfectly and for eternity.

Here, in Isaiah, we hear of one of the most beautiful ways in which God chose to be “Immanuel”- God with us. Jesus, our Savior, came to earth to be born, live a perfect life, die for our sins, and be raised again. God with us—walking, talking, breathing and living on the same earth as us, experiencing every pain and hardship that we do so he could empathize with us in every way. What great love to leave a perfect home in heaven so God could draw near to us yet again.

You see, God loves you in the same way he loved that baby in Bethlehem that Mary wrapped in cloths and placed in the manger. Over and over again, God has proven this love as he constantly found ways to dwell with you. As Christmas approaches, find time to simply be held by your Father. He is here to save you and one day bring you home. He loves you as his own dear child and longs to be with you, your Immanuel.

I love when Scripture quotes Scripture. Today, we see the Apostle Paul quoting the Prophet Isaiah. Two “heroes of faith” from two very different times in history where it could have seemed as though someone other than God was reigning and ruling on earth. Even so, they passed down encouraging truth to God’s people. They trusted that the Sovereign Lord was in control and that his perfect reign was coming. Do you hear the certainty in their words? “The Root of Jesse WILL spring up, one who WILL arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles WILL hope.” There is no doubt, no “maybe”, but always “will”.

It’s easy to look at the world around us and wonder “Where is the justice?” “Why would God let so many bad things happen?” “Who is really in control here?” We begin to doubt and wonder why Jesus isn’t ruling and reigning in the way we think is best. We make ourselves the judge and often forget to trust in his perfect justice that is coming.

How quickly we are filled with anxiety and fear when we doubt that God is in control. Today, we hear that the exact opposite is what our Savior desires for us. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.”

Our anxiety and fear are quickly replaced with joy and peace when we place our trust in Jesus. This hope that he promises doesn’t give us just enough hope for today, but enough so that “you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” When our hope overflows, it doesn’t only bless us, but it blesses those around us—our students, our family, our friends. This certain hope of One coming to bring justice and eternal life is for everyone.

In many ways, we are “heroes of faith” just like Paul and Isaiah. Yes, we live in a very different time in history, where it can seem like God is not reigning on the throne. Like those that have gone before us, we can trust that he is indeed in control. We get to spread the good news of what God has done and what God WILL do. Let us be filled by the Holy Spirit so that we can share the joy and peace with the whole world as we wait for Jesus, our Judge, to rule with his perfect justice and bring us home to heaven.

The class was ready.  We had talked about fire safety. We practiced “Stop, Drop, and Roll.” We shouted out the emergency numbers 9-1-1. We were ready for the firefighters’ visit. And the visit didn’t disappoint. We got to see the firefighter’s uniform, we climbed through the truck, and we even got to try the hose. What a great day it was!

We are ready for an extraordinary event. We anticipate something much more exciting than a fire truck visit. Jesus promised that he will return to this earth. He said, “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:27-28) With a little child’s eagerness, we look forward to seeing Jesus face to face when he returns to bring us to heaven.

We prepare for his coming. Just as the children learned about fire safety, we learn about our Savior. We take time for personal devotions and Bible study and look for opportunities to worship with others. We talk about Jesus every day with our students and are encouraged by children’s simple words of faith. “Jesus loves me. He takes away my sins. He is always with me. I love Jesus.” We are strengthened as we raise our voices in song to our Savior.

We are ready at all times. Only God knows when Jesus will return so he tells us to be always faithful. On our own, we wander from Jesus’ side. Our faithfulness is far from perfect, and we fall into sin. Our loving Savior provided a solution: his own faithfulness. “He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). Jesus gently leads us back to his heavenly path so we can rest in his unfailing love and forgiveness.

The last days are coming! Let’s get excited. Jesus has earned a place for us in heaven where we will be perfectly faithful to him. We will live in glory with him forever. We really are ready.

Working with young children inevitably leads to wiping away some tears. It might be a scraped knee, hurt feelings or loneliness. We help that child, using comforting words, a friendly hug, and sometimes a band aid. We point that child to Jesus’ comforting presence. Sometimes the tears might be our own as we work through difficult situations. We understand that life in this imperfect world includes tears and sadness.

That’s just the beginning of our story. God has blessed us with our time here on earth. During that time there will be many joys. We marvel at God’s creation, enjoy the people God places in our lives, and grow in wisdom. There will also be sadness, frustration, and anger. Because of sin, ours included, this world will never be perfect, and we will deal with that throughout life. God promises to be with us through all our hardships and joys. Shortly before Jesus returned to heaven, he promised his disciples and us, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20). With this knowledge strengthening us, we encourage one another with Jesus’ love.

Our story isn’t over. What might seem like the end of our story, death, is really just the beginning. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have the sure hope of a home in heaven. Our Bible reading gives a wonderful picture of heaven. God will dwell among us, and he will be our God. We know that God is already with us all the time, but in heaven there will be no sin or guilt to cloud our vision of God. “Now we see a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (I Corinthians 13:12). Imagine that! I will see Jesus! He will know me fully, and I will have no guilt because he has already washed my sins away. I won’t sin ever again!

Our story will continue forever. There will be no death, mourning or pain. We will live with Jesus and our family of believers forever. So now, while we wait for that heavenly home, we have a mission. We point people to Jesus. We comfort them in their earthly sorrows and show them the wonderful things to come in heaven. We wipe away the tears, knowing that they only last a little while.

Every morning, my plan is the same. Wake up, sit in my favorite chair, and read the Bible. It’s a great plan. Friends, I struggle to execute the plan. My hands reach for my phone to check what the weather will be for the day. That leads to checking if any major events have happened in the news. That leads to seeing if there are any new houses for sale in the area. I’m not even looking to move from my current home, I just like to see the pictures of homes in the area. Oh, friends, I haven’t even told you about how long I scroll at social media. Such a sneaky addiction. Before you know it, my kids are awake, and well, now it would just be too difficult to meditate on God’s Word, so I tell myself that it would be better to wait until later in the day.

The Lord never waits until later in the day to love me first. His love is constant. It wraps throughout the entire day of busyness and all through the night of rest. He always makes the time to love me, and he does it with all that he has.

We can depend on it. He says “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3) and “I am with you always, even to the very end of the age”. (Matthew 28:20)

My youngest daughter is good at reminding me where my priorities should be. Recently, I was packing lunches and my son saw me pack a piece of pizza in his lunchbox. That cold pizza made him so happy that he declared, “Mom, you’re the best!”. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling good about myself. Well, that is, until my four-year-old daughter strongly stated, “No, you’re not.” I kind of stopped in my tracks and looked over at her. She was not budging. Her face meant business. We met eyes and she said, “God is.” I can’t compete with that.

She is right. God is the best. He wants my best. He wants everything. So much so, that he commanded it.

Why wouldn’t I want to start my day with the One who holds it? The One I can fully depend on to get me through whatever might come my way. Tomorrow is a new day. Let us start it with the Lord.

Every week, my kids have a mission envelope in their folders. I usually take it out, see what’s left in my purse, and fill them with dollars or coins. I put them back in their folders and that’s that. The envelope is just another thing that I check off my list. Most of the time, my children don’t even know how much money I put in it.

I’m missing the point, right? That envelope isn’t a duty, it’s an opportunity for me to instill a habit of happy giving for my children. Whatever is in that envelope, whether it be paper, copper, or nickel, that money is going to serve the Lord! What a privilege! What a blessing it is to be part of his mission!

Our Heavenly Father has done, and continues to do so much for me. Each day I wake up and have food to eat, clothes to wear, a bed to sleep in, freedom to worship, etc. He is so good. He is so kind. He is so gracious.

The mission envelope that is sent home every week is a great opportunity for my family to show our gratitude back to him. It is a way to be generous to our loving Father and thank him for his daily love and care in our lives. It is a way to further his kingdom and support the various missions going on that spread the Gospel message across the nations.

This year, I pray that I am more intentional on how I treat that envelope. I pray that I help my children understand that when Jesus’ love overflows in their hearts, we can be gracious and kind and use what we’ve been given to bless others. I pray that what I once saw as a duty, I now delight in as an opportunity.

If you are anything like me, and the envelope has become just that, an envelope, make a plan! Maybe create a poster to highlight the mission that you are giving towards. How about writing a letter to someone who works with that mission? When you know who you are giving to and what you are giving towards, joy and purpose will follow.

Praise God for all the ways that he blesses us. Let us give generously and thank him for providing the opportunity “which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

Several years ago, I was presenting a workshop on parenting with a group of mothers and fathers. Everyone was asked to pick a card from a stack of illustrations of children’s toys. They were given a few minutes to consider the card they chose and complete this phrase, “Parenting is like…. because…” There were some wonderful answers. “Parenting is like a set of blocks because you are constantly working to build and strengthen your child.” One father of five raised his hand. “Parenting is like a merry-go-round because life can feel like it’s spinning out of control and inevitably someone always throws up.”

Do you sometimes feel like that? You try to get your bearings and move ahead only to find that things have changed. Even outside your work with young children, you look at the world and can find yourself asking, “When did that become a thing?” What used to be wrong is now not just ok, it’s encouraged and celebrated. It’s not unusual to feel like you are on the outside of the opinion of those around you and not sure how that happened. Where is the solid ground that you need?

Blessed. Dictionary.com defines blessed as: divinely or supremely favored; fortunate. As we look around and try to find that solid ground, we crave something to hang on to that will not shift and change. How easy it is to forget that we have it already. God. He who never changes. He who never waivers. Our heavenly Father, whose every word is grounded in love for us. His love is immeasurable and unwavering. We are so blessed! In Lamentations 3:22-23 we are reminded:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

We are indeed blessed as God’s children. We have a pillar, a plumb line, an anchor, a sure foundation in our heavenly Father. His Word never changes. His love and forgiveness are without limitations. As we read the Word, we know with certainty that not one word of it will change. The world may change, but not the Word. We have hope. Not a hope that is wishing for something. We have hope that is sure, founded in God’s grace and mercy for us.

The merry-go-round of life will continue. It’s a little slower some days and other days can feel out of control. You and I can be confident and at peace in the midst of it all. God is with us. God is faithful. We are so blessed knowing we are children whose hope is in the LORD!

As someone who works with young children each day, you can likely relate with a shepherd. You come in from recess and realize one child didn’t make it back to the classroom. Suddenly you spot the child, huddled behind a bench in tears. “I didn’t know where you went,” she sobs. You wrap your arms around her and utter a prayer of thanks.

Today’s reading is from a chapter of Luke that is sometimes referred to as “the lost and found” chapter. This chapter tells about the one lost sheep, the lost coin, and the father whose younger son was lost from the family. In each parable, the point of the story is the same—the angels of God rejoice over the one that returns. Imagine the sound of their rejoicing! What a moment—all for one.

What can we learn from these parables? First—every individual is precious to our heavenly Father. You are precious to him. When he says he wants all to be saved, he means it deeply. Second—he wants the lost to be brought back. In the parables, the shepherd went after the lost sheep and the woman took significant measures to find her lost coin. They were relentless in their efforts. You and I get to be a part of that. Each day as you serve young children and their families, you have the privilege and opportunity to tell them about their Savior and also to model and share Christ’s love and forgiveness for them. The heart of all we do in early childhood ministry is sharing the gospel—the good news of our Savior Jesus.

You may know a family member, friend, or neighbor who is lost. Perhaps they were once connected to their faith and have wandered away. Some may be struggling with sin and its impact on their lives. They weigh heavily on your heart. You want them to know grace and the peace that comes from God’s forgiveness and mercy. Sometimes you have the opportunity to speak directly to them. Pray for God’s guidance and blessings on those conversations. Sometimes the way that you show love and grace can be an encouragement and witness. Ask God to draw them back to him. Pray for opportunities to share your faith with them, and then ask with confidence for the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts.

You and I don’t always get to see the lost return to faith. If you don’t, continue to pray, reflect God’s love, and share his message of grace with patience, trusting the work of the Holy Spirit. When God blesses you with an opportunity to see someone who was lost come back, let the rejoicing begin along with God’s angels. Wrap your arms around them, literally or figuratively, and thank God for someone lost who was found in Jesus.