Tag Archive for: ecme devotions

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord

Romans 8:38-39

Confidence is important. The smartest girl in the class can fall apart when asked to stand in front of a room and speak. The best shooter on the team can freeze at the free throw line. Confidence is important. Of course there is a fine line between confidence and conceit. As Christians we boast in the Lord. It’s not our glory but his. Yet his glory is not what we think glory might look like. His glory is found at the cross first and foremost. This is where we see love like nowhere else. But it is also found in our love of others, another cross. Notice that we give God glory not only with our praises but also, and I would say primarily, in our love of neighbor.

So our confidence is not really in our public speaking ability or shooting skills but in our Lord. This faith in him is translated to love in our lives. We are confident that he has saved us from sin, hell, death, and the devil. We are confident that he will take care of us in the future. We are confident that he will use us for good. We are confident. So much so that we can be bold in our confession to the world and bold in our defiance towards the devil and the death he wants for us. And the confidence is great. You can hear the confidence grow in the words of Paul:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

These can be our words too. Bring it on world! We know where we are going. We know who is on our side. We know the truth. Bring it on. We have the Lord on our side. We boast in the Lord.

Prayer: Dear Holy Spirit, guide us in faith and give us true confidence in our Lord.

A Question to Consider: Self-esteem is a big deal but the source of that self-esteem is the key to it all. Do we “give everyone a trophy” to build students up artificially or do we teach them their value in Christ?

O Lord of nations, hear our prayer.
We thank you for this land most fair,
Created by your might.
For mountain sunset, lake at dawn,
For woodland bloom and robin song,
For stars that lace the night,

Most grateful, gracious God, are we
That in this country we are free
To worship you above.
We gather here to speak your name,
Then leave this place to spread your fame
That all may know your love.

Christian Worship Supplement 785:1,3

It has been said that the Grand Canyon is one of the few places where reality surpasses the hype. A child on family vacation may yawn at the ocean – “I have seen this on TV” – but no picture of the Grand Canyon can do it justice. The gaping chasm echoes the glory of our creator God as does the smallest insect. But neither can tell of the love of God. In fact nature is as much about wickedness as it is about beauty. The Rocky Mountains are magnificent but its winter storms kill without mercy. The oceans are wondrous unless you are caught in an undertow. If we only have nature to tell us about God, then we must be honest, nature kills indiscriminately. Nature is a beautiful siren that lures us in but can turn on us in a moment.

So God gives us more. He gives us his Son. He gives us his Word. And in his Son and in his Word he is hidden. Mere ink and paper, the gentle voice of a preschool teacher or the stumbling voice of a preacher cannot compare to the Sequoia trees of California. And the bloody scene of the cross is the opposite of the beauty of a field of wild flowers on the American Plains that seems to go on for miles. Yet this is how he comes to us. He hides. He hides to be close to you. He hides to be revealed. There beneath the blood and the dirt, beside the insults and the injustice, there on the cross is the glory of God. That he would love you and I that much. And that forgiving love gives us the peace and freedom to live a life of love and to enjoy his beautiful creation without fear.

Prayer: Dear Creator God, move us to see your glory in this beautiful creation of yours. Help us protect it, preserve it, and enjoy it. Yet push us to the cross where we see your true glory on display, the mercy of Christ. Amen.

A Question to Consider: If the natural law of God (the order of creation) cannot be the full story but must be coupled with his grace of the cross, how does this change the way we should educate little ones?

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.

Genesis 8:22

It was dark around the clock; the sun had not been seen for over a month. There was no escape from the smell of manure, and the cramped conditions made it hard to sleep. This is how I imagine it was for Noah as the forty days of rain were coming to an end. Noah, a believer in God and his promises, had faithfully loaded the animals and his family onto an ark, where they would remain for several months while the earth was destroyed. Perhaps the animals were hibernating, but there still must have been some care that was needed during this time, and it couldn’t have smelled good. It was a difficult time to trust, and yet God showed Noah, and us, that he has all the power.

God always keeps his promises. God spoke the words in our reading “in his heart” after the flood. During those rainy days, the entire earth was destroyed, as were the normal patterns of the earth such as the seasons and daylight. God saw that these patterns are needed for our daily well-being, and he promised that we can depend on them “as long as the world endures.”

We are also reminded that the world will end. From other parts of scripture, we know that the earth has an expiration date that has not been revealed to us. But we know that God will be with us, until the end and beyond. God is with us when we work through our daily challenges. He is with us as we rest or play, when we eat and sleep. He promises to fill our needs, although perhaps not in a way that we planned. God filled our most desperate need of all by providing forgiveness and new life through the death and life of Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for keeping the world and everything in it in your hands. Thank you for keeping all your promises, including the promise fulfilled in the gift of your Son, Jesus, who redeemed us from this world of sin. Amen.

A Question to Consider: How do the changing seasons and other earthly patterns give you comfort that God is in control?

On what has now been sown
Your blessing, Lord, bestow;
The pow’r is yours alone
To make it spring and grow.
O Lord, in grace the harvest raise
And you alone shall have the praise!

Christian Worship 322:1

Have you taken the time to watch an infant or toddler play in a mirror? It is fascinating to watch a young child play with a “window friend” when the child is not yet cognitively aware that he is seeing his own reflection! And if you happen to see the very moment that the child figures out that he is seeing himself in the mirror, you witness a beautiful learning experience.

Whether your early childhood program closes for the summer or you continue the curriculum year-round, this time of year is a time of reflection. We look at the past few months and think about all the blessings God has given and the challenges that he has carried us through.

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Fatigue? Have you lost the joy and zeal to do your work well? Do you feel that you have failed to meet a child or parent’s needs?

The hymn of praise we read today reminds us that God blesses our work, despite our failings. It is God’s power, and his alone, that makes the seeds we plant “spring and grow”. God sent his son, Jesus, to rescue us from the sins that we trap ourselves in, the sins that keep us from living as he asks us to live. Because Jesus lived and died for us, God sees Jesus in us. Because Jesus lived and died for us, God sees him when we look in the mirror. Jesus is our “window friend”. To God be the glory!

Prayer: Dear Father, we know that it is only with your help that we carry out your mission to reach all children and families with your Word. Give us time for reflection and rest, knowing that we are saved through your Son, Jesus Christ.  To you be the glory! Amen.

A Question to Consider: Reflect on the past few months of your personal ministry. In what ways have you seen evidence of God at work?

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Ephesians 1:15-19

The end-of-the-day prayer time is one of my favorite parts of my teaching day. I get to pray with my students, and they share special requests resting on their hearts. We’ve prayed for dads in the military, sick friends, broken toys, and one young man declared he had learned plenty and prayed that God would let him stay home with Mom. Just yesterday, one student looked at me and said, “I’m praying for you!”

Just think about that for a moment. Working with young children is a huge responsibility. We teach them letters, sounds, and numbers. We marvel at God’s creation as we study plants, animals, and other science topics. Students learn how to get along with each other and function in a classroom. Most importantly, we teach them about Jesus and his love for us. I’m not sure I can do all of that, at least not as well as I’d like. But I have someone praying for me.

You have someone praying for you too. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Romans 8:26). When I don’t know where to turn next with whatever issue I’m facing, the Holy Spirit does know, and he prays for me.

Just as Paul prayed for the Ephesians, we can pray for each other. I don’t know you, but I’m praying that God will bless your ministry, that he’ll guide you as you teach your little ones about Jesus, that he’ll give you grace and wisdom. I trust you’ll pray for me as well.

Prayer: Dear ascended Lord, bless our churches and schools. Guide us as we share your Word with our students, and give us wisdom as we work with children and their families. Help us remember that the Holy Spirit prays for us, and we can pray for each other. In your holy name we pray. Amen.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 193:13-14 (NIV 1984)

My guess is that this week your class has been busy making gifts for moms. Children’s eyes light up with anticipation, and they take special care to make this surprise for Mother’s Day. And no matter what these creations look like, each mom treasures what her child made for her.

God also took great care in creating each person: the children in your classroom, their parents, your co-workers, and you. Each person he knit together in the mother’s womb. How awesome is that! God cares enough to personally form each individual and give special gifts and talents to everyone.

And God doesn’t stop there. Earlier in Psalm 139, David wrote, “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139:8-10). The Psalm gives comfort to us by focusing us on the attributes of God. Are you scared and alone? He is with you, not to destroy you but to save you. Are you uncertain about your tomorrow? He knows all things, and promises them for your good. Are you weak? He is strong. Do you worry and wonder about your gifts or your lack of them? “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Moms will cherish the gifts their children make. This week we thank God for mothers, for parents, for relatives, friends, teachers, and other mentors through whom he blesses us. Above all—we thank him for who he is and who he has called us to be: his own child in his dear Son.

Prayer: O For Christian homes, O Lord, we pray, that you might dwell with us each day.
Make ours a place where you are Lord, where all is governed by your Word.
We are children of your grace; our homes are now your dwelling place.
In you we trust and daily live; teach us to serve and to forgive. Amen.
Christian Worship 500:1, 2

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:28-29 (NIV 1984)

In today’s world we have access to various types of information with the click of a button. The internet and social media have transformed the way we communicate and stay up-to-date on current events. It is not hard to find what is “trending”, which college friend had a baby, or who just went on vacation. In fact, the days of calling friends and family to make an announcement are practically over. Today, many choose to post their news on social media, because they know many will see it in just minutes. If we do not see a message or announcement online, we may not think it is true.

Thomas and the disciples did not have such easy methods of communicating during their time on earth. Delivering messages to others could take multiple days, and sometimes the message may not get delivered at all. When Jesus rose from the dead, he could not just post it on social media for all to see. When Thomas heard from the disciples that Jesus rose, he did not believe the message until he saw Jesus alive with his own eyes. Like Thomas, many find themselves doubting the gospel message because they did not see Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection with their own eyes. Many might turn to the internet and the world for answers, but we know from Romans 10:17, “faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” We may not see with our own eyes, but through the work of the Holy Spirit, we believe the message.

One can find many videos online that friends, family, or even strangers put up of their young children professing their faith through songs or Bible passages. We have the blessing of seeing this child-like faith every day in our classrooms as we share the gospel message with the children in our care. Children do not doubt their sins are forgiven. Children do not doubt Jesus died for them. Children do not doubt Jesus rose again. Children do not need to see something posted on the internet for it to be true, but rather they trust in the messages we share with them. May we be like little children as we hear God’s word and believe it without a doubt.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give me a childlike faith that does not doubt your Word. Help my faith grow and become unwavering. Amen.

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Zechariah 9:9 (NIV 1984)

Many of today’s popular children’s shows and movies revolve around royal characters. Children love putting on dress-up clothes that make them look like kings, queens, princes, or princesses. In fact, they may even be more likely to try food if it is shaped like their favorite prince or princess or has a picture of him or her on the box. As adults, we are not much different. When a member of a royal family gets married or has a baby, the world is watching. When a princess wears a designer dress, it is likely to sell out by the next day because many women want to dress like her. In fact, some of the most popular movies or television shows involve kings and queens. No matter one’s age, there is a certain excitement and interest that comes with royalty.

We have one king that deserves more honor, more praise, and more attention than all the rest: Jesus. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, men, women, and children praised and admired him, laid down their coats for him, and watched in awe as their king passed by. Jesus was and is unlike any king of this world. Jesus is king of heaven and earth. As we begin this Holy Week, we too stand in awe of who our King is. The Righteous One! The One bringing salvation! A King who reigns not by force but by laying down his life at the end of this week.

As you see your children admire kings, queens, princes, and princesses, you also have opportunity to point them to a greater King. A King who loves them enough to ride into Jerusalem to go to Calvary’s cross. Let sweet hosannas ring! He has answered our prayer, “Hosanna! Lord save us!”

Prayer: All glory, laud, and honor to you, Redeemer King, to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring. You are the King of Israel and David’s royal Son, now in the Lord’s name coming, our King and blessed one. Amen.
Christian Worship 131 v. 1

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in Heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with a power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you being rooted and established in love may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV 1984)

Prayer. What does it mean to pray? A prayer is simply talking to God. Prayers can take shape in a variety of ways. Some prayers are pre-written by Bible theologians, while others are words spoken from the heart. Even little children pray and understand that through prayer they are talking God. Yes, their prayers might be as simple as thanking God for their mom and dad or asking for a new toy. However, whatever the content, a prayer is an intimate conversation between a Christian and God.

The verses for this devotion serve as a beautiful prayer! It begins by asking that God give strength to his family. God’s family is you and me and the whole family of believers of all time and everywhere. This prayer is a request for an inner strength, that is, faith! Next, the prayer asks for knowledge for God’s family. These verses describe God’s love as long, high, and deep. We cannot even begin to fathom the depth of God’s love. It is something that we cannot grasp because of our sinful nature. It “surpasses knowledge,” but we trust the love of God! Finally, we have the confidence that we are filled with the fullness of God. God blesses us beyond what we deserve or imagine!

The verses from Ephesians serve as a wonderful prayer that you and I can pray for other people as well! Early childhood ministry is a fast-paced ministry that connects many people together! Some of the families have been lifelong members of the church; some of them are new to the Christian faith; and some have no religious background. It is our daily prayer that the families of the children we serve be strengthened by the power of Christ in their hearts and also that they may know the love that surpasses understanding! These verses can be our daily prayer.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, please be with the families of the children that we teach. Grant them an understanding of your love. Please strengthen their faith in you through the power of Christ. Amen.

A Question to Consider: What are some ways that we can incorporate lessons about prayer to the families of the children we teach?

Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love for they are from of old.
Psalm 25:4-6 (NIV 1984)

How many times throughout the course of the day do you show a child how to complete a task? How many times do you model proper manners for a child? How many times during the day do you guide a child through right and wrong behavior? Our days are filled with these activities. They’re simply part of our job. We all have a teacher we fondly remember because they guided us in all the same ways as they brought learning to life for us.

Better than any earthly teacher, you and I have the master teacher, Jesus the Lord, who clearly shows us the path and lays out the way for us in the Bible. His words teach us the truth, and his life and ministry show us how to love. The words of David in these verses are a prayer asking that God show him the way and guide him on the path of life with the truth of the Bible. These words can and should be our daily prayer too.

These verses also plead for the Lord to remember his mercy. God’s mercy is that he doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve. We are sinful. We daily do things that are wrong. And yet, the Lord forgives us! The last words in these verses ask God to show us his mercy and love. We can confidently approach the Lord and ask for mercy, and his mercy is freely given to us.

As caretakers of young children, it is our responsibility to guide them through tasks. Thank the Lord, that He has shown us the path and guides us with the truth every day of our lives!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father please show us the way and guide us in all that we do. Thank you for the daily mercy that you show to us. Please grant us wisdom and guidance as we teach your little lambs. In your name, we pray. Amen.

A Question to Consider: How can we help prospects see that God’s mercy is a gift freely given to them?

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O Lord, hear my voice…but with you there is forgiveness.
Psalm 130:1,2,4

It’s happened to every teacher and childcare worker at one time or another. You turn your head for just a moment and something bad happens to a child. We feel terrible. That’s what happened on October 14, 1987 in Midland, Texas. “Cissy” was helping at her sister’s in-home childcare program. When she turned to answer the phone, 18-month-old Jessica wandered across the backyard and fell into a well that was supposed to have been covered. “Baby Jessica” fell 22 feet into the well where she was trapped. The eyes of the nation focused on Baby Jessica as rescue workers dug another hole nearby and tunneled toward her.

Maybe sometimes you have felt as trapped as Baby Jessica was. Maybe the stress of your job, the grind of your calling and the worries of daily life leave you feeling trapped. No matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to get things fixed and going smoothly. But what traps us worst of all is our sins. Try as we might, we cannot stop ourselves from sinning. And the more we do, guilt weighs us down further and further. Nothing we do can make up for our sins. We are trapped in them and, therefore, doomed to eternal death. That’s how the Psalmist felt as he wrote Psalm 130 and begged for help, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O Lord, hear my voice.”

They managed to rescue Baby Jessica. She is now a grown adult and as far as we know living a happy and healthy life. Jesus Christ rescued you from the depths of sin and death by his perfect life and perfect death on the cross. Because of Jesus, your guilt is gone. Your sins are forgiven, and you will live a happy life eternally in heaven.

Wednesday, March 1, is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the church season of Lent. For the next 40 days, we will especially focus on the suffering and death of Jesus. This is a wonderful time to remind ourselves, the children in our care, and their families of how much Jesus loves us and how much he was willing to endure in order to save us from the depths of sin and death. With Jesus, there is forgiveness.

Prayer: Lord, I confess that I am trapped in my sin and guilt. Thank you for rescuing me, through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:12-14

Everyone is excited to celebrate Valentine’s Day this week. Valentine was a Christian young man who lived in Rome in the third century. According to legend, he was deeply in love and planned to get married soon. At that time, Christianity was illegal and all Christians were declared guilty of treason. Rather than deny their Savior, though, many Christians boldly confessed their faith in Jesus. Valentine was one of those confessors who remained true to Christ and was arrested.

While he was in jail, awaiting his death in the arena, Valentine wrote a number of beautiful, impassioned letters to his would-be bride. He assured her of his great love for her. But he also made it clear that first place in his heart was reserved for Jesus, his Savior. History tells us that on February 14, in the year 269, Valentine was put to death, martyred for Jesus Christ. In the year 496—after Christianity was an accepted religion—the church declared February 14 to be St. Valentine’s Day.

While the Christian significance of this day has been pretty well forgotten by now, we can let this background for Valentine’s Day bring us past superficial sentimentality to the greatest love of all—the love of God for the world. Jesus showed true love by giving his life for us on the cross in order to pay for our forgiveness so we could have eternal life in heaven.

The sacrificial love of Jesus touches our hearts and fills us with gratitude. It moves us to show “true love” to one another. “True love” is not just sweet emotions, but a commitment to help, regardless of the cost or consequence. The love we show to the children and to one another begins with the knowledge and joy of knowing that we are God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved. Filled up with God’s love, we will be kind and loving toward others on Valentine’s Day and always.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for your unconditional and unending love that saved me. Help me to say “Thank You” to you by sharing that same love with others. Amen.