Mark 9:35-37

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” – Mark 9:35-37

Dear Jesus,

I look for you in a lot of places but I must confess that I don’t often think that in welcoming a little child to use up my time and energy for you that I’m welcoming you.  Give children a bigger place in my heart.  Help me grow in the way I minister to their spiritual and emotional needs.  You had a child in your lap as you told us that if we welcome a child, we welcome you. I want to view every child as sitting in your lap.  It would keep me much more aware of how you want me to value them.  Help me to make children a huge part of my “here and now” instead of pushing them off until they are mature adults.  AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

Children are not the future of the church.  They are the present.