Romans 9:25-26

“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’
and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’ ”
²⁶ “And in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
there they shall be called children of the living God.”

Karl Barth, one of the great Christian scholars and theologians of our lifetime, is reported to have answered a question about the most profound truths he had learned with the line from a religious song:

Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so….

We often sing that song together as a congregation as the children of our church gather down front for the Time with Younger Disciples.” That’s when we take time in our worship for the youngest children of God to have a message tailored to their level of understanding. And that time often helps the adults who are present to let the simple and special message of the gospel to soak into our souls.

Prayer

God our Father, let us remember how you called the little boy Samuel to serve you in purifying Temple worship. Help us to picture the children who gathered around Jesus, even as the adult disciples tried to shield Him from such an interruption. And let us embrace the special moments to lap up Your love, as we imagine ourselves as Your precious children through the saving grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen