Abiding time-- being childlike

This morning I find myself on the penultimate chapter in Macrina Wiederhehr's Abide: Keeping Vigil With the Word of God.

As this abiding journey almost comes to an end, I will need to find other resources for my morning times.  This hasn't been my only source for morning times, but it has been an extremely rich one.

Truthfully, I've already done this chapter.  Somehow I skipped ahead and did it on 8/11/14.  But it is worth doing it again.  The title is "Somewhere In You Lives a Child" and the Scripture passages for today to read prayerfully are Mark 10:13-16  (NRSV) and Luke 10:21-22 (CEB).

The key verse for the chapter is Mark 10:15-- "Whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it."

The verse (portion) that sticks out to me from Luke is verse 21-- "Jesus overflowed with joy from the Holy Spirit".  To see Jesus overflowing with joy, what an image! Praising God in that moment, being present in that moment, overflowing with joy from the Holy Spirit.

Isn't that what happens when the community of faith gathers together and shares the love of Christ with one another?!?!  Folks overflow with joy from the Holy Spirit and praise God.  It happens.  It does.  It can.  It doesn't always.  It's a matter of being prepared to receive from the Holy Spirit, being open to the Holy Spirit, being ready to worship God.  I know that I am not always a vessel prepared to overflow with joy from the Holy Spirit.  But, that's my heart's desire.  To worship in Spirit and in Truth, to praise God, and to lead others to do the same.

It means being intentional in worship.  It means being intentional in my abiding time.  If I don't remain in the vine, how can I lead others to do the same?

Last night's bible study focus was on remaining in the vine.  The key verse was John 15:5.  I put it with a picture of grapes growing on a vine that I took last Friday at the Stoker residence.  These grapes represent fruit of God and a family, of lives well lived, of family that loved and continue to love one another.

When we abide/remain in the branch, we will have joy.  That joy may not always be a "bubbling" joy, but it is evident when the 'joy of the Lord is your strength' as it says in Nehemiah 8:10 and when it's not.

Macrina's opening paragraph in this chapter says this about children: "Children are the world's most precious resource, our hope for the future.  They carry within their young souls the seed of new dreams for a world in so much need of healing. The child is fresh, innocent, curious, spontaneous, eager, natural, vulnerable, playful, full of laughter, tears, and dreams!  Children are still able to be delighted in gifts without price tags: a penny, a colored stone, a feather, seashells, falling leaves, soap bubbles, clouds! Children have not learned how to say, I'm too busy to play.  They usually don't try to edit their tears.  These are the ones Jesus says we must become like if we are to enter the kingdom of heaven." (198)

As I read these words from Macrina, I think about the Rossville Summer Academy.  Yesterday was my final morning to share the devotion time with a special group of kids at the Rossville Summer Academy.  A month long summer camp sponsored by the North Georgia YMCA, local schools in Walker County, local businesses and churches, and the Walker County Family Connection made this happen.  It was the first camp of its kind in community, a pilot camp.  The goal was to have 50 hand-picked rising 5th graders for this opportunity.  Though the camp wasn't full this year, there was still good participation.  They had academic and adventure activities the three days each week of camp.  The devotion portion each day focused on God's love for them.  Pastor Ginger Isom chose the Scriptures and the songs.  She also asked them "Who are you?" to which they responded, "a child of God".  I enjoyed my time with this group the 3 out of the 4 weeks I could be with them (Annual Conference was in the midst of this) and I took the Jesus Doll with me each week so he could be passed around for hugs.

Each of the verses that fell on my day allowed for good conversation and reminding the kids that they are special, that they are loved, and that they have a place in the world.

They truly are a precious resource.  I hope these kids at the Academy heard the message of love.  I hope they enjoyed the camp experience.  I hope we can continue building relationships with them and speaking life and love into them.

Later in the chapter Macrina writes, "It is not too late for us to touch the child within.  We still have access to our childlike spirit.  We can return to our original delight in life." (201)

Amen and amen. This is one of the ways I attempt to live into my authentic self, being who God created me to be.

I don't know whether you need to access the child inside you or encourage the children in your life, or both.

May this prayer that Macrina offers help:

"Jesus,
     Look kindly on these children (name specific children) and upon all the children of the world. Let your blessing of love and protection fall on them like dew from the heavens.  Make your home in the heart of every child. Bless also the lost child in the lives of those who have grown up too fast.  Reveal to us the hidden wisdom that lives in every experience.  Unveil our grown-up eyes and give us joy in the little things. Return us to our original love.  Amen." (203)

May there be overflowing joy on your journey,

Debra