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Please open your Bible and read Psalm 78:1-4.

Little six-year-old Timothy skipped home at a leisurely pace with his older brother. His elementary school was only a 5 minute walk from his house, but it took him a lot longer than that to arrive at home, much to his brother’s chagrin!

It was the first day of spring. The sun shone brightly. The wind whistled gently through the air, and it seemed as though the entire world was blooming … alive after its winter slumber. At seemingly every turn, the natural world around him aroused his amazement and wonder: a dancing butterfly, a fuzzy caterpillar, a colorful flower, all alive with growth and life and wonder!

Sometimes we’re almost like polar opposites of little Timothy when it comes to God. We get accustomed to God’s grace. Blind to His glory. Oblivious to His love. When there’s work, plus family, plus church, plus everything else, it’s easy if we’re not careful to become distracted.

When was the last time you were in awe of God? While must constantly strive to increase our knowledge and understanding of our Lord, we should never lose the sense of wonder at who He is and all He has done for us.

Jesus called the children around Him, “took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.” (Mark 10:16) Can you approach Jesus as a child, not with a childlike intellect (1 Corinthians 13:11) but with a childlike attitude? A childlike attitude will keep us humble as we continually are reminded of God’s high exaltation, our lowly place, and (despite of our lowly place) how God has lifted us up with Him when we put our trust in Him, so that He may even call us “friend”. (John 15:15)

“Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.” Psalm 113:2-3

Question: What do you admire most about the natural beauty around us, and have you stopped to really see it lately?

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2011/08/10/dh_wonder-of-a-child/
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Short Thoughts for Cell Phones – God-daily.com

by Katherine Kehler

“Father, give me my share of the estate.” Luke 15:12

I love to read books by the author Henry Nouwen. Though he was a highly educated man, he maintained a childlike relationship with the Lord. One of his books, The Return of the Prodigal Son, has some fresh insights into this parable that I had not considered.

As you know, this parable is all about our relationship with God our Father. In essence, the lost son told his father, “I don’t want you, just the things you can give me.”

Although I had habitually viewed the prodigal as someone who had turned his back on God and didn’t come back for many years, Henri Nouwen brings out the fact that all of us can become prodigals many times a day. Whenever we choose to use God only as an “answer to prayer” dispenser or if we remember Him in times of crisis only, we are like the prodigal son. We choose his gifts rather than Him.

When I stop to think about it, I feel so ashamed because I have done that and still do at times.

The good news is that no matter how often we turn away from God and focus on his resources rather than on Him, He is always there, waiting for us with outstretched arms. We are always welcome to come back and bask in His love.

Father, I cannot comprehend Your awesome love and Your total acceptance of Your children. We aren’t like that. Give us the grace to bask in Your love and return Your love. Amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2011/08/10/kk_run-away-child/

The Wonder of a Child

Run Away Child

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The Wonder of a Child

Run Away Child