Luke 18:15-17
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Take a moment to settle into your surroundings and then begin to recognize your breath. As you breathe in, call on the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
Read Luke 18:15-17 slowly and thoughtfully.
Something about Jesus causes people to do things that are out of the ordinary. The adults in this story are drawn to bring their children to Jesus for a blessing even though the social norms of the day relegate children to the lower rungs of the societal ladder where they are to be seen and not heard. But somehow these parents sense that this unusual rabbi will not turn their children away, so they come boldly seeking his blessing.
Stop to meditate on the idea of blessing for a moment. In the Older Testament, it was accepted that verbal curses and blessings had a generative effect on the receiver. We now know that repeated messages - positive or negative – carve actual neural pathways in our brains that affect our unconscious actions and reactions.
How are you seeking blessing from God to reshape your thoughts and actions? Are you regularly seeking the blessing of Jesus for the people you care about? What about for your enemies? Take some time to talk all of this over with Jesus.
Read Luke 18:15-17 again.
Jesus not only welcomes the children to come to him for blessing, he instructs his disciples to learn from them. In the Kingdom of God, the open, fresh faith of children is the standard to which we should all aspire.
Get still and imagine yourself as a child. Picture Jesus welcoming you into his presence and placing his hand on your head while he blesses you.
Then meditate on the words of Psalm 139, a psalm written by King David:
“O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!” – Psalm 139:1-6
What might Jesus want you to realize or do as a result of today’s time of meditation?
How do you plan to respond?
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The Everyday Jesus Follower’s Guide ebook can help you learn how to recognize God's voice, how to read and understand the Bible, how to develop deep spiritual friendships, and how to become the person you were meant to be. Use it alone, with a friend or in a small group.
