Devotionals

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Out Of The Mouths Of Babes II
©
by

Stephen A. Peterson

Read: Matthew 19:13-15

…Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for such is the Kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 19:13 (NIV)

Roughly three dozen people were gathered in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Seminole, Oklahoma on Saturday, May 8, 2004. While waiting for Mass to begin, I let my thoughts roam. In back of me a little Mexican-American girl, maybe three years old, hummed what sounded like a Christian tune to herself… The Anson family, three or four generations strong sat in the middle of the little rural town church… To the front were five children dressed up for their First Communions with their families, relatives and friends. The young men of Mexican-American ancestry and Euro-American ancestry maybe 8 or 9 years of age were handsome sporting their miniature suits. The young women of Mexican-American were dressed in wedding like white dresses that really became them! I looked up to notice a large fan spinning so rapidly that it caused the chain to strike the lower base in C major.

Looking at my watch, I shifted in my pew and then let my mind shift again…until the little girl behind me, no longer humming, suddenly shouted out in excitement. Her shrill little voice striking like a clap of thunder in the nearly quiet church: “Look, Mama! She pointed towards the altar of a statue of Joseph, the husband of Mary, that held the Baby Jesus. “There’s Jesus!” she said in her Mexican English. “Mama! Mama! There’s Jesus! Hello, Jesus! Jesus, hello! I love You Jesus! Hello there!”

For me it was a moment of pure illumination. Here was the one of smallest children in our midst teaching us that waiting time in church is precious time…not a time to mill around, looking at who is present in church, what they are wearing or on other trivia. The tot’s attention had rightly been focused on thoughts of Him…and, in her own little way, she did! She, at the moment, put we supposed mature, grown, Christian-Catholics to shame! I, for one, do not claim to know the mind of each person sitting in that church. Only God knows what was in the hearts and minds of the people sitting in church that Saturday afternoon.

We too, regardless of our domination, while we wait in church for the service to begin, should be turning our thoughts towards our Lord…preparing our hearts, His temple to receive the King…readying ourselves to say, “Hello, Father! Greetings Lord! Here I am! What will You have me to do? I am Yours! I will listen for Your instructions and directions.” And then we too like that little Mexican-American girl will meet Our Lord, Master—the King with excitement and anticipation!

Prayer: Hello, Father! Greetings, Lord! Here I am! I’m so glad to be here in Your presence! What will You have me to do? I am Yours! During this time I will listen joyfully to You! My heart and soul awaits You! Come, Lord, Come! Amen.

Thought for the Day: Prepare for the Lord’s Coming.

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