Daily Power-up: Psalm 67:1, Matthew 19:13-15
Psalm 67:1:
1 God be merciful to us and bless us,
And cause His face to shine upon us.
Matthew 19:13-15:
13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.
Personal Reflection: Mothers of the Children Jesus Blessed
I have read these scriptures many times but I am not sure I ever really looked closely at them from the moms’ perspective.
Somehow the image in my mind of Jesus blessing the children could have been taken straight out of “The Bible Story Books” by Arthur Maxwell. Remember those? Jesus is sitting on a rock on the hillside with grass and trees and flowers around him. He has a child sitting on his knee and others playing at his feet. It seemed very serene. But was it? Jesus was achieving quite a following. He was such an interesting rabbi. And the miracles! The miracles alone were drawing quite the crowds.
As a mother wanting to take her child to a rabbi for the traditional Jewish blessing, who better to bless her child than Jesus! Join me as I attempt to tell this story through a mother’s eyes.
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One day I hear Jesus will be teaching nearby so I get my son, wash his little hands and face, put a clean tunic on him and head to where the crowds are gathering. While we’re on our way to see Jesus, I invite several of my fellow mom friends to join me to get their children blessed too. Can’t you just hear us as our group heads down the path? The squeals and the giggles and the teasing and the “Mom, he pulled my hair!” “Mom, he started it…” “Mom, look at me!” as we head towards where Jesus is?
When we get there, our kids, being regular kids and instinctively sensing that Jesus is the BEST, run right towards him through the crowds of people pressing around him. We are trying to call them back, trying to rein them in and Jesus is watching. He watches his disciples move in to block the rush of small bodies and He watches as they are herded right back to us. Uh oh. This doesn’t look promising. We tell the “bodyguards” that we just want Jesus to bless our children, but they tell us He is too busy doing “important” work and we need to leave Him alone. Oh the disappointment and frustration.
But then I hear him. “Hey! Let those kids come on through! I want to spend time with them. Don’t you get it? My kingdom is made up of those who are like these children. I love it when people have the faith and capacity to love like children. People who are willing to run eagerly to meet me and to trust me!”
I’m sensing eye rolls from the disciples. They’ve just received a gentle rebuke, another interruption in the day’s plans. Yet as we approach Jesus, I forget about them. I only see the absolute delight He has in watching our kids. (Take the adoring gaze of a grandparent and then multiply it by a million plus. That’s what I see.) He gathers each child into His arms and blesses them individually. I can’t even begin to express the comfort, love, and belonging I feel when I watch Him place those rough, perfect, carpenter hands on my son’s head while giving him a blessing.
I hold on to that feeling and to that blessing all the way home. I know I will bring that memory to mind every time I feel overwhelmed during my journey of motherhood.
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As a mom, one of the greatest blessings God gives me is knowing that my child is loved, encouraged and blessed by others. My child has been blessed with teachers who knew that this mom needed to hear “I just love that boy!” before gently laying out the things we needed to work on. My child has been blessed with Pathfinder leaders and family friends who took the time and patience to bless him with their love and shared skills. My child has been blessed with neighbors who have allowed him to add himself to the family. My child has been blessed with loyal friends. All that in addition to the blessing of Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles and Cousins that love and accept him. But MOST of all, my child is blessed because God is especially fond of him. For all of this and more, my cup runneth over.
Denise Smith
is at midlife and is still growing up, still learning, and still beyond grateful for grace, and for her family. During this month of celebration for mothers, she is blessed to have a mom who has always loved her unconditionally.
Bible in a Year: Psalms 50, 53, 60, 75
This Bible reading plan explores The Word based on the chronological order in which it was written, and is unrelated to the daily character devotions.
The Word of Promise audio Bible is used by permission. For more information and to purchase the complete audio Bible go to https://www.wordofpromiseapp.com/.
Psalm 50
God the Righteous Judge
A Psalm of Asaph.
1 The Mighty One, God the Lord,
Has spoken and called the earth
From the rising of the sun to its going down.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God will shine forth.
3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent;
A fire shall devour before Him,
And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.
4 He shall call to the heavens from above,
And to the earth, that He may judge His people:
5 “Gather My saints together to Me,
Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
6 Let the heavens declare His righteousness,
For God Himself is Judge. Selah
7 “Hear, O My people, and I will speak,
O Israel, and I will testify against you;
I am God, your God!
8 I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices
Or your burnt offerings,
Which are continually before Me.
9 I will not take a bull from your house,
Nor goats out of your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is Mine,
And the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the mountains,
And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you;
For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.
13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
Or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God thanksgiving,
And pay your vows to the Most High.
15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”
16 But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to declare My statutes,
Or take My covenant in your mouth,
17 Seeing you hate instruction
And cast My words behind you?
18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him,
And have been a partaker with adulterers.
19 You give your mouth to evil,
And your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you have done, and I kept silent;
You thought that I was altogether like you;
But I will rebuke you,
And set them in order before your eyes.
22 “Now consider this, you who forget God,
Lest I tear you in pieces,
And there be none to deliver:
23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;
And to him who orders his conduct aright
I will show the salvation of God.”
Psalm 53
Folly of the Godless, and the Restoration of Israel
To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath.” A Contemplation of David.
1 The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
3 Every one of them has turned aside;
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.
4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And do not call upon God?
5 There they are in great fear
Where no fear was,
For God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you;
You have put them to shame,
Because God has despised them.
6 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When God brings back the captivity of His people,
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.
Psalm 60
Urgent Prayer for the Restored Favor of God
To the Chief Musician. Set to “Lily of the Testimony.” A Michtam of David. For teaching. When he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
1 O God, You have cast us off;
You have broken us down;
You have been displeased;
Oh, restore us again!
2 You have made the earth tremble;
You have broken it;
Heal its breaches, for it is shaking.
3 You have shown Your people hard things;
You have made us drink the wine of confusion.
4 You have given a banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah
5 That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and hear me.
6 God has spoken in His holiness:
“I will rejoice;
I will divide Shechem
And measure out the Valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine;
Ephraim also is the helmet for My head;
Judah is My lawgiver.
8 Moab is My washpot;
Over Edom I will cast My shoe;
Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me.”
9 Who will bring me to the strong city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Is it not You, O God, who cast us off?
And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies?
11 Give us help from trouble,
For the help of man is useless.
12 Through God we will do valiantly,
For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.
Psalm 75
Thanksgiving for God’s Righteous Judgment
To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.
1 We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!
For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.
2 “When I choose the proper time,
I will judge uprightly.
3 The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved;
I set up its pillars firmly. Selah
4 “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not deal boastfully,’
And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn.
5 Do not lift up your horn on high;
Do not speak with a stiff neck.’ ”
6 For exaltation comes neither from the east
Nor from the west nor from the south.
7 But God is the Judge:
He puts down one,
And exalts another.
8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup,
And the wine is red;
It is fully mixed, and He pours it out;
Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth
Drain and drink down.
9 But I will declare forever,
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 “All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off,
But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”