SA Treasures:Children

FOCUS TEXT

Matthew 28:20b

And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

DAILY BYTE

One the most wonderful blessings that I have received during my time in South Africa has been interacting with children. I had the opportunity of participating in this year’s Holiday Club at Manning Road Methodist Church during the last week of June. I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with children, singing, dancing, and playing games with them during that week. Another opportunity that I had was attending the Clouds of Hope Mission Weekend on the second weekend of July. I joined a group of twenty young adults from MRMC and spent a delightful time of service, fun, and growth in Underberg, South Africa. Just this week I had the opportunity to visit Makabongwe Methodist Preschool where I enjoyed joining children as they sang and danced in praise of our Lord. Interacting with children has definitely given me a new perspective of God’s love. Their simple demeanor, their openness, and their spontaneity has also reminded me of the fact that Jesus call us to be like little children (Luke 18:17).

One of the children through whom God has blessed me the most here in South Africa is Julian. Julian is the eight-year-old boy of whom I wrote last Monday. One day in particular, Julian came into the MRMC office and asked if I was in, as he usually does. He came into my office, sat down and we started a long conversation. Julian told me that he had come earlier to see me but that he was told I was in a meeting. He was referring to our weekly staff meeting that we held earlier that day. Julian asked who had been at the meeting. I told him that Anna, Nozuko, Susan, me, and Jesus were at the meeting. “Jesus was there?” Julian asked with an evident expression of disbelief in his face. I said “Yes, Jesus was also at the meeting with us!” Then Julian replied, “Are you pulling my leg? Was Jesus really physically there?” Then I told him that if he did not believe me, he could ask Susan if Jesus was there. So Julian went into Susan’s office and asked her if Jesus had really been present in our meeting. Susan told Julian that Jesus in fact had been present in our meeting. Julian came back into my office with an odd expression in his face. I then told him that Jesus promised that he would be with us always until the end of the age. I explained that Jesus also promised that where two or more people gathered in his name he would be there.

You and I believe that Jesus is with us always. We believe this because we believe in Jesus’ promise to us. I invite you to reflect on this promise. We are not alone. Jesus reminds us today that he is with us always. However, Jesus’ presence in our midst is often taken for granted. In fact, Jesus’ presence among us is sometimes ignored. You and I believe that Jesus is with us, yet we tend to live our lives as if that was not the case. Take a moment and think of a person that you sincerely respect as a Christian. This could be your pastor or anyone that you hold in high esteem as a follower of Christ. Now, imagine if that person was with you all of the time, twenty-four hours a day. Would you do things different if that was the case? Would you act and react in the same way? Would you speak the same way, would you enter conversations in the same way? I can imagine that if you were honest with yourself, you would answer that in fact you would act differently. Now, remember that Jesus is always with us. He is with us twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I invite you not to take this for granted. I invite you to live according to the wonderful truth that Jesus is with us. I invite you to remember that you are not alone, that Jesus always offers you rest and comfort as you walk through life.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we thank you for sending Jesus into the world and into our lives. We thank you for his promise that we are not alone. Thank you Lord Jesus for being with us at all times. Thank you that we can find rest and comfort in you when we need it the most. Holy Spirit of God we humbly ask that you guide us to leadlives that glorify ourFather in heaven. Help us lead our lives in such a way that we can effectively communicate God’s love to those around us.