By Karen Biggs, St. John Stephen Minister
Luke 18:16 “But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’”
Galatians 3:26 “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,”
I John 3:1 “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
As a little girl, I’d be peacefully playing with my dolls one minute, and the next I’d be in a knock-down drag-out with my older sisters. Children often have wide swings in behavior, for better or worse. Jesus is well acquainted with our propensity to sin and to hurt others and ourselves. Yet, He opens His arms to children, to all of us, and welcomes us wholeheartedly.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus invited everyone to come to Him, regardless of race, gender, power, ability, condition, family, wealth, or sin. He often preferred the sinners, lower class, marginalized, and poor — feeding them, healing them, and speaking gospel-life into their souls. Jesus does not condone sin, obviously, but loves each person right where they are at. What a beautiful example for us to ponder — leaning INTO the lives of those around us, especially the ones who are struggling, oppressed and hurting. Jesus modeled compassion with open arms.
Our Creator knew sin would throw our world off-kilter. They knew our lives would be riddled with difficulty, but our triune God loves us and calls us Their children, yearning to scoop us up into Their arms. May this lavish love that God pours on us spring forth in us and rain down upon those around us.
Child of God
By Karen Biggs
‘Child of God’
May I be so bold
To even speak the words
‘Child’ and ‘God’
in such proximity
I’m utterly unfit for
The magnanimity
I feel like a lump
Of trouble and frailty
A familial bond I have
Betrayed and evaded
Shook my fist at
Lost faith in
Why would a God
Want me as kin
When I have
Nothing to offer
No scepter to give
Made of grit
Prone to glitch
Honestly it sounds
Too good to be true.
Such love and honor
Bend logic askew
Far too grand
This gift for me,
Loving largesse
Why would it be
To bless in excess
For the adopted,
The lost, gone astray
But LOVE is the Way
Their highest delight
A golden ray to shine
To share, to Light
They love us so!
A grace manifesto
A miracle of Love
Glory to God above
Forever I am awed,
A wide-eyed ‘Child of God’
Prayer: Great God, all praise be to You who loves us beyond what our minds can fathom. In our weakness, You give us strength. When we cry out to You, You forgive us and lift us up. All thanks be to You, loving Maker, for blessing us as Your children! Amen.