January 24
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“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’  He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.  And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”  (Matthew 18:1-4, NIV)

To live in the kingdom of heaven (also called the kingdom of God) is to live under the authority of God.  That is, to obey God, and to have faith in God’s goodness.

As a vestige of our corrupted nature, all of us have a problem with authority.  If we do not, it is because somewhere, sometime, we made a change against our nature.

Today’s scripture reminds us that entrance into the place where God rules requires that we first “change and become like little children.”  A true child is humble, obedient, trusting, inquisitive, and in the moment.  In the kingdom of heaven, the last are first; and the least are the greatest.

The kingdom of heaven is the Christian disciple’s true home.  – Luther

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January 23
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“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the Lord always.”  (Proverbs 23:17, NASB)

The sinner does not regard the law of the Lord as applicable to him; nor does he consider valid the instructions of his Creator.  The fact is this: We all have been active sinners; dismissive of God’s law and disdainful of His rightful authority.

Are we tempted to envy those we see cruising on sin’s easy boulevard while we endure the inconveniences of the narrow moral road?   Yes!  We feel the tug because of our humanity.  However, we were created for grander purposes.  Do not give-up; and do not give-in to envy.

To “live in the fear of the Lord” is to continuously mindful of the things that matter to the Lord — and to allow your heart to follow the Spirit’s leading.  – Luther

 

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January 22
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“Moses also said, ‘You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him.  Who are we?  You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.’”  (Exodus 16:8, NIV)

The Children of Israel in today’s scripture were not long in the desert after being delivered from slavery in Egypt before they began to grumble (defined as “bitter complaining in a muted or indirect way”) about their life, their lot, and their prospects.  Some began to question the wisdom of the exodus as the historical revisionists amongst them argued that their former life in Egypt really wasn’t that bad.

Had they forgotten the promises of God as quickly as they had forgotten the visible evidence of God’s power in the plagues on the Egyptians, His presence in the miraculous exit from Egypt, and His provision as they entered the desert without the wherewithal for an extended sojourn?  God had not deserted them, but through their increasingly negative attitudes and utterances, they had deserted God.

For the disciple of Jesus, to grumble about our life, our lot, or our prospects — even if the intended objects of our indictment are our leaders, our neighbors, or even our friends —  is, actually, an indictment of God.  The antidote to such negativity is to remember evidence of the power of God in your own life; to remember the presence of God in all of your circumstances (past and present); and to remember the faithful and timely provision of God when all of our resources had been exhausted.  – Luther

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