Our text for this week is Matthew 19:13-14:

Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

I can’t think of a more appropriate way to speak about the intersection of today’s Scripture (from Matthew) and prayer, so I’ll Richard Rhor do it:

Jesus calls us to exactly what the Zen master calls his students to. I once stayed in a Zen monastery in Japan. The master was calling monks who had been there for years to what they called “beginner’s mind.” Similarly, one of Jesus’ favorite visual aids is a child. Every time the disciples get into head games, he puts a child in front of them. He says the only people who can recognize and be ready for what he’s talking about are the ones who come with the mind and heart of a child. It’s the same reality as the beginner’s mind. The older we get, the more we’ve been betrayed and hurt and disappointed, the more barriers we put up to beginner’s mind. We must never presume that we see. We must always be ready to see anew. But it’s so hard to go back, to be vulnerable, to say to your soul, “I don’t know anything.”

Rohr, Richard (2003-03-01). Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer (pp. 32-33). The Crossroad Publishing Company. Kindle Edition.

As you pray today, ask God for moments to see something familiar in a new and curious way (much like a child).

Questions or discussion? Click here to comment.

Tomorrow on the Daily Connection: Deeper Dive Podcast

About the Author
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC