Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. Isaiah 46:4 ESV
After three weeks of visiting with family and friends we are saying goodbye. I think most of all I will miss morning walks with our grandchildren. Their loud happy excitement and curiosity have more than kept both I and my wife on our toes and worn us out. But how I will miss those goodnight kisses and prayers tomorrow. How good to know as I shed a tear or two that someone greater than I still listens to my own goodnight prayers and kisses me on the cheek each night as these graying hairs lie down on my pillow!
My morning walking friendMy afternoon walking buddies
And He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; Mark 9:36-37a ESV
Several years ago, my wife sometimes babysat for two children at our church. David was seven and his little sister Leticia five. On Sundays, I would wave and say, “Hey guys! Good to see you!” David would wave back and smile, but Leticia always hid her face. Every week, I would smile and wave, and every week the results were the same. “I’m sorry.” her mom said, Leticia is just so shy.” “No problem. She’ll smile when she’s ready.” I always answered. But I wondered if that day would ever come. Then one Sunday, just as I was about to sit down, Leticia slipped out of her pew, looked right at me and came running full speed and jumped up in my lap! That scene reminded me of today’s verse. As Jesus walked down the road and his disciples argued about who was the most important, He interrupted their conversation, reached out, and took a child by the hand. Just as I had learned, small children do not stay near to people they do not trust. You can lecture them all day about being polite to guests, but you cannot force friendship. Jesus had children around because they knew he was a friend. He had raised a little girl from the dead and healed a boy with seizures. Children showed up because they liked being around Him. They knew they mattered to Him. He noticed them, talked to them and on occasion even took them in His arms and blessed them. So, if you need healing or even just someone to talk to, Jesus is close by. We do not need to convince Him how important you are. All children are matter to Him. We can all run and jump up into his lap if we are ready, because Jesus is waiting for us to come!
Our son and granddaughter
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15
Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer. – Ed Cunningham
If we want to experience friendship with God then we must do the same!
Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends leave footprints in your heart. – Eleanor Roosevelt
If you have decided to make God your best friend then the footprints of His love will be seen in us every time we pray!
As Promised from a couple of weeks back, my new book All Creatures Most Small is now out. This is my first book that is exclusively children’s poetry and was appropriately illustrated by my young friend Emilia (9 years old). Watching both Emilia and my friend and graphic designer Robert Keller come onboard to illustrate and frame my poems was a huge blessing in my life. I am grateful to them for their enthusiasm and advice as well as the kind and encouraging words from both Emilia’s mom and grandmother.
Here is another little peek – Into what All Creatures Mostly Small is about
We were having a great time storytelling and singing around the campfire, late into the night at our church camp out for boys. The youngest of them felt like we were in the wilderness even though it was really just behind the house of one of our church members. When the time came for everybody to head for bed, it took a while to get the boys settled into their sleeping bags. While I lay there listening to the cicadas singing and the frogs chirping, a little voice whispered from the back of the tent, “We can’t sleep. It sounds scary!”
“Oh, don’t be afraid.” I told them. “That just sounds like God talking to me.” I answered back. “Oh!” The small voice whispered. Then just a few minutes later things got quiet and I could hear the gentle snoring of the boys telling me that yes, they had heard God speaking too. I am thankful for all the lessons both large and small that God has taught me with the voice of even His tiniest creatures. and I invite you in these poems to hear God talking to you too.
Here is the softcover edition which is available on Amazon today. This is also an e-book format for those who prefer tablets instead of physical books.
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