Your Heavenly Father Knows

Matthew 6:25-34

I was sitting in the mother’s room at church trying to get my 6-month-old to eat. He is suppose to be taking a bottle, but he’s not cooperating.

Pastor just started the sermon and I can hear it over the speaker in the room. He’s talking about all the unrest that has been in the news lately. Dictators, violence, a broken economy, jobs, the price of gas shoots up…

“You may worry… will you have a job tomorrow? How will you pay for the things you need?...”

I joke with myself, ‘Well, thanks, Pastor – I wasn’t worried about it, but now that you mention it... :)’

My baby boy continues to fight the bottle. He plays with it, drinks a little, changes his mind and pushes it away. Oh, come on, Eddie… you’re killing me! I’ve been so frustrated with this process of moving from nursing my baby to bottle-feeding. How do I know if he’s getting what he needs?

“The world is an uncertain place,” Pastor continues. “Many of us wonder what tomorrow might hold..”

‘I’m really not that worried about that stuff, for some reason,’ I think to myself. I'm aware of all of it, but I guess I’ve been thinking about other things lately.

Pastor reads from the Gospel, “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”

Eddie is not eating. Argh! What am I going to do? Should I nurse him, despite my intentions to get him to take a bottle regularly? I don’t want him to starve. Surely he’ll just eat when he gets hungry. I don’t know what to do…

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”

Your heavenly father knows that you need them. Eddie sits in my lap and I turn him towards me. He smiles at me. Peace sweeps over me – My heavenly father knows what he needs. And he will provide for my baby boy. I’ve been consumed lately with this issue, and while things haven’t gone smoothly, it could probably be worse. Eddie seems to be mostly fine – all the signs indicated that he is not, in fact, starving.

“It’s about trust,” Pastor is saying. “It’s about trusting in the Father.”

Oh, that sounds good. That sounds way better than worrying. I’m too tired to worry about this. I look at my healthy boy and realize this too shall pass - this time of uncertainty. I’m going to give this to God. He will handle it much better than me.

Lord, thank you for your reassurance that you will take care of my needs, and the needs of my family. I worry about my kids, but when I trust in you I find peace. Lord, help me remember throughout my day that you know what they need and will take care of us. Amen.

Direct My Paths

"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him . . ."

1 Choronicles 28:9

New American Standard Bible

When I was in college, I had all kinds of plans. I was going to get married and have kids. I was going to teach 7th grade English and write a book someday. I always thought I'd be the president of my kids' school's PTA and I was for sure going to teach Sunday School and be active in a Bible study of my own as well. My kids would be involved in all kinds of activities and I'd love to drive them around and have Starbucks with the other moms in my neighborhood. I'd keep a perfect house and probably drive a minivan and get up every morning at the crack of dawn to have my alone time with God and work out--all before my kids got up.

After eleven years, I can say that I still want to do all of those things, but I have figured out that I have to pick and choose what I fill my life with. I have spent my fair share of time agonizing over whether to stay at home full-time with my kids or work outside of the home. I have struggled to find my place in ministry at our church and wondered if I should volunteer at all. I carefully consider each and every activity my kids do and try to find a good balance in our week with family time verses all the other stuff of life.

In the end, it comes down to one thing . . . knowing God and allowing Him to direct my paths. When I feel that strong desire to be back in the classroom, I seek God's counsel through prayer and through His Word (which is where God promises to always meet us). When I am asked to lead a Bible study, I have a little chat with God about whether I am in the position to help fill others up with God's Word or if I need a little filling up myself. When my daughter wants to do dance, gymnastics, swimming, tee ball, and Girl Scouts I think about what God wants for our family and make my decisions based on that.

I believe that God calls us to vocations, roles, and activities in unique ways and in His unique timing. The path that God places before me may not be the path that He sets before anyone else. As women and mothers, we are pulled in so many directions, whether we are pulling ourselves with our own wants or whether we are serving our families and their desires and needs. In order to sort out the craziness of life, we first need to look to God and listen to where He is calling us at that moment, in that place. Knowing God's voice can make all the difference.

Dear God . . . You know me so well and sometimes I make decisions without you because I think I can do it on my own. Please forgive me and help me to always seek You first and allow you to direct my paths.

The Light For Our Path

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life." John 8:12

I love winter! Ask anyone who knows me well and they will testify to the fact that I enjoy snow and don't usually mind when my family and I get "trapped" at home because the snow has made it unsafe, or impossible, for us to get around. As much as I love winter, though, I do find myself dreaming of warmer weather and the fun things we get to do in the summer months.


One of the things my family enjoys doing in the summer is camping. We enjoy cooking outside, sleeping in a tent, and sitting around the campfire making s'mores. When we go camping there are many things that we pack. Our van is filled so full there is barely enough room for the three of us to fit in with all of our stuff.


While, in my opinion, there are several "must haves" for a camping trip, one of the things we just can't be without is our flashlights. The flashlights are especially important when we are making our way around camp after the sun goes down. The flashlights help us to see our way on the path. Sometimes the campground will have smooth paths that are already lit and making our way to our destination is easy. It is then that we use the flashlight to make sure we stay on that path. However, there are times when the path we are taking has no lights at all and the way is rough and bumpy. Without our flashlights we would stumble and fall.





In our text for today we are told where to find the light to illuminate our paths in life. Jesus tells the people He is speaking to that He is the Light of the world. No light shines brighter or serves as a better guide down the paths we must walk on. Whether smooth or bumpy, we need that Light. When we focus on Jesus, we are promised that we will never be left out in the dark to find our way alone. Jesus will guide us in the way to salvation and life everlasting.


Just like I know I do not want to leave behind the flashlights when my family goes camping, I also know that I don't want to forget to continue putting Christ first in our famiy and in each of our individual lives. Reading Scripture daily, devotions, prayer, worship, and singing God's praises all serve as a way for us to keep the Light of Christ clearly illuminating and leading us on the path of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ our Savior, the Light of the world.


Dear Heavenly Father we thank you for sending Jesus to be our Light in this dark world. Help us Lord to allow the Light of Christ to brightly shine in our lives and help us to teach our children about following the Light, the Light that leads us to salvation. Amen.

An Invitation for All

John 7:37-38 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'

When my youngest daughter was a toddler she would walk up to babies whenever she spotted a stroller or carrier and try to talk to them. As a toddler her words and sentences weren’t always very clear but one phrase directed to either the baby or his/her mama was always the same “Baby baptized?”

See, we sit at the front of the church. We have ever since a pastor suggested it when our oldest was tiny. I was skeptical but he was right. The little ones can see better and actually are less restless up front. Sitting in the second pew, my kids get a great view of the baptisms. In my daughter’s mind every baby would be baptized, so as we visited the mall or library she would ask them.

My little one, not yet two years old, understood what Jesus was saying in the text above from the gospel according to John. Jesus’ invitation “If anyone thirsts…” is for all people. Theologians label this as objective justification, Christ died for all on the cross. Knowing about objective justification is important, it is the reason we can witness to anyone and everyone that Christ died for them.

The very next sentence starts with “Whoever believes….” This is subjective justification. We need to make no mistake that just because Christ died for all, it does not mean that all will be saved. Subjective justification is the receiving by faith that which Christ has done.

This passage in John occurs in Jerusalem, it is the Feast of Booths. Jesus went privately, he knew that they wanted to kill him but that the time had not yet come. Yet even knowing others felt violently about him, he went to the temple to teach and the crowds were amazed. This was radical talk, some would have thought God only loved the Jews. But here Christ is inviting all to believe in him.

An invitation for all… even the babies who are given the gift of faith when they are carried to the baptism font. Even the toddlers who have rivers of living water flowing out of them witnessing to God’s love for other babies.

Lord God, You desire that all come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Keep us in your baptismal grace, so that I and my family may be continually empowered to share Christ with those around us and those we come into contact with. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen

Authority Figures

The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.  John 7:18

As parents, we are the authority figures in our homes.  We are the leaders. We are there to make sure the children do what they are supposed to do when they are supposed to do it.  And when they've done something wrong, we're there to correct their actions.  That authority has been given to us by God.  Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."  We strive to do this every day.

But how many times have you found yourself losing your temper?  How many times do you let little things slide?  How many times do you feel like you've been a failure as a parent?  I know I've felt like that, many times.  There have been evenings where I've cuddled with one of my kids, tears streaming down my face, praying that they forgive me for my shortcomings as a mom.  

The thing is, we can never been that perfect parent.  It's just not in us.  We're sinful human beings, after all.  That's why this verse from John warns us not to use our authority for our own glory.  It is up to us to give God the glory for our work as parents.  It is He that rescues us from our shortcomings.  God is THE perfect parent.  No matter where we may fail as an authority figure in our home, God is there to pick up the slack.

The greatest thing we can do as authority figures in our homes is to teach our children about God's love and his commandments.  Deuteronomy 6:6-9 says, "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."  In this, we give God the glory.  And God gives us the wonderful gift of raising our children in His love.

Dear Heavenly Father, Help me daily as I parent my children.  Keep me strong in the knowledge that You give me the authority to teach my children.  Grant me patience, and help me to always point them to You.  Help me to always give You the glory.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Idea Day: Books for kids under 1O

Today we thought we'd share a list with you of some of our favorite Christian books for kids under 1O

Things I see in Church by Julie Stiegemeyer

The Real Story of Creation by Paul Maier

Worshipping with Angels and Archangels: An Introduction to the Divine Service by Scott A. Kinnaman

Arch Books

Book of Bible Stories Tomie dePaola

Celebrate Feelings by Heidi Bratton

3 in 1: A Picture of God  by Joanne Marxhausen

The Hear Me Read Bible by Mary Manz Simon

God Chose You by Julie Dietrich

Sheep Lost and the other sheep books by Anne Catherine Blake

The Parable of the Lily by Liz Curtis Higgs

The Picture Bible by Andre LeBlanc

Jesus is With Me by Joni Walker

I Know Jesus by Joni Walker

The Great Elephant by Nik Ranieri

Got a favorite that is not on this list...we'd love to hear about it in a comment here or on facebook!

Taking time for yourself

 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip,“Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there).  Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

  After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”  Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

John 6:1-15

This is a familiar Bible story, isn't it?  We often focus on the miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 plus more people with five loaves of bread and two fish.  It was, indeed, a miracle.

But the part of this story that I'd like to focus on today is the very last verse:  "Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him a king by force, withdrew AGAIN to a mountain by himself."    This isn't the only instance of Jesus withdrawing himself from the crowds and His disciples.  Here's some more instances:

• Matthew 14:23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone...
• Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
• Luke 6:12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

As mothers, we spend our days tending to a lot of things.  We make sure the children are fed and clothed, and off to school.  We do the laundry.  We cook the meals.  We clean the house.  We drive here and there, picking up and dropping off.  We are busy, all the time.  And it can get exhausting, can't it?  

This is where we can all take a lesson from Jesus himself.  He took time, even though He was insanely busy, to withdraw himself from everything and take time to pray.  It was key to not only his physical life, but his spiritual life as well that he took time to himself to be with His Father.

How many of us take that time?  As a mom, it's so easy to take care of everyone around us, and forget about ourselves.  After a long time of doing this, though, it can be detrimental to our own well-being.  It's important for us, no matter what time of day, to step away from the day-to-day and take some time for ourselves.  We are no good as mothers if we don't take care of ourselves.  I'm sure, too, that Jesus knew He was no good to anyone around Him if he didn't take that time by Himself to pray.  

I encourage you, whether it's 5 minutes or 50 minutes, to take some time for yourself each day.  Use that time to read the Bible, to pray, to just sit down and think for a few minutes.  Take a lesson from our Lord--it is good for you.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son for us.  Help us to remember, as Jesus did, to take time for ourselves each day.  Keep us connected to you and your love.  Help us to not only take care of our families, but ourselves, too.  In Your name we pray, Amen.