“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.” Isaiah 11:6
What is wrong with this image? Carnivores and herbivore’s living together and being led by a child; the image is out of order, out of control. The lions, leopards, wolves, goats and cattle are being led by a child, not a strong shepherd with a whip, chair and sidearm, but being led by a child. Take a moment to think about this verse; why would our Heavenly Father choose a child to lead this chaos? It just doesn’t make much sense to worldly wisdom. Can you imagine what the young child in attached photo who attends the Messif School in Ouanaminthe could do to keep the peace with these animals? I recall that when my daughters were young, their lives, like this child, were filled with innocence; their lives were not stained with the lies of this world. They got excited in the simplest of things and had a peace about them that you and I can only recall as a cloudy moment in time. They placed all of their trust in their parents and as we get older, we learn that we place all of our trust in our Triune God. Jesus tells us in Matthew that in order for us to enter the kingdom, we need to be like a child. A small child is innocent, humble and trusting and can lead in ways that we cannot. Thank you for continuing to support Trinity/HOPE feeding programs in Haiti that help to prepare these children to lead their neighbors away from the vodou priests that prey on the innocent of Haiti. I close today with the words from the hymn ‘Let us ever walk with Jesus’ written by Sigismund von Birken in 1653.
“Let us ever walk with Jesus, follow His example pure, flee the world, which would deceive us and to sin our souls allure. Ever in His footsteps treading, body here, yet soul above, full of faith and hope and love, let us do the Father's bidding. Faithful Lord, abide with me; Savior, lead, I follow Thee. Let us suffer here with Jesus, to His image, e'er conform; Heaven's glory soon will please us, sunshine follow on the storm. Though we sow in tears of sorrow, we shall reap with heavenly joy; and the fears that now annoy shall be laughter on the morrow. Christ, I suffer here with Thee; there, oh, share Thy joy with me! Let us also die with Jesus. His death from the second death, from our soul's destruction, frees us, quickens us with life's glad breath. Let us mortify, while living, flesh and blood and die to sin; and the grave that shuts us in shall but prove the gate to heaven. Jesus, here I die to Thee there to live eternally. Let us gladly live with Jesus; since He's risen from the dead, death and grave must soon release us. Jesus, Thou art now our Head, we are truly Thine own members; where Thou livest, there live we. Take and own us constantly, faithful Friend, as Thy dear brethren. Jesus, here I live to Thee, also there eternally.”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay