WATCHWORD:
13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Matthew 19:13-14
Meditation:
Jesus Loves Me
Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. How old were you when you first learned that song? Do you know all the verses? Do you know this one?
Jesus loves me still today,
Walking with me on my way,
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and love to all who live.
I remember watching a group of little kids singing Sunday School songs, as I call them? — “What a Friend We have in Jesus”, “This Little Light of Mine”, and, of course, “Jesus Loves me.” Those kids could really get into it, maybe just a little off key, but their hearts were in it and we were blessed by their music.
I was listening to a Christmas concert on TBN, a group, kids and adults, singing a variety of songs, and one of those was “What A Friend We Have in Jesus”. Maybe for the first time, I really listened to all the verses. The music was familiar, but the words spoke to my heart, as if those words were coming from my Lord. A message, very much like, Jesus Loves me, this I know.
What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
And what a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer
Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer
I thought about those words and how true it is for us to “sandbag”, to hold on to those griefs and sins because we are just plain stubborn, or we think the Lord doesn’t want to hear about them, even though we know, He already knows.
I think about the ‘needless pain we bear’ because of our pride, our tendency to overlook those things that we just don’t want to admit to, even to ourselves. There ought to be a song that goes something like this: My life is an open book to my Lord and Savior. If we believed that and acted on it, hey, that would be when we find the peace that we used to forfeit. Right?
How about some of those other songs out there? For example, country and western songs can be so funny, or sad, or heart-breaking, yet so true. Ever hear “Drop-Kick me Jesus, Through the Goal Posts of Life”? Never heard of it? Well, here’s your chance —
Dropkick me, Jesus, through the goal posts of life
End over end, neither left nor to right
Straight through the heart of them, righteous up rights
Dropkick me, Jesus, through the goal posts of life
Make me, oh, make me, Lord, more than I am
Make me a piece in Your master game plan
Free from the earthly temptations below
I’ve got the will, Lord, if You got the toe.
Okay, not exactly “Jesus Loves Me”, and yet it is there, the sentiment, the commitment, the love of Jesus and the faith in Him. Maybe we need to take all songs of praise seriously, like a catchy sermon that sticks with us. Just a thought.
Bulletin Board:
Did I hear some say you wanted another verse? Okay…
Dropkick me, Jesus, through the goal posts of life
End over end, neither left nor to right
Straight through the heart of them, righteous up rights
Dropkick me, Jesus, through the goal posts of life
Bring on the brothers who’ve gone on before
And all of the sisters who’ve knocked on your door
All the departed, dear, loved ones of mine
Stick ’em up front in the offensive line
(You always need a good O-Line)
Closing Prayer:
Father, just as You sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus, help me to clear the path in my heart, too. Show me the distractions in my life that block me from all-out worship of You this Advent. Lord, I await Your coming! As I celebrate the first Advent––the first coming––I look toward the day where I will see You face to face. I imagine what it will be like. Give me a heart, Lord, that looks for Your coming on a daily basis. Help me to live my life where I’m constantly seeking Your presence. My offering to You today is my righteous life for I know I am only clean because of Jesus. Show me today how I need to be refined, purified, forgiven. Give me the strength to ask for forgiveness and to then change my ways. Amen.
