17th February 2012

Good morning!

We’d like to make the most of the school holiday this week and aim our morning thought towards younger families. It’s great to start the day together, especially in God’s presence!

This week, we’ve been learning about some of the promises that God makes to us in the Bible. See if you can remember them all so far.

Today’s Promise: “I will not leave you as orphans”

Think: Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong somewhere? What did it feel like?

Bible time: Today’s promise is from John 14, just a little further on from the promise that we learned yesterday. Let’s read John 14:16-18:

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you

What a wonderful promise! Although Jesus is going back to heaven, he promises to send a Helper – the Holy Spirit. This means that we won’t be alone, but rather adopted into God’s family, known and loved. He will not leave us as orphans. There’s a story from 2 Samuel, chapter 9 that will help us understand this a bit better:

Although David and King Saul were on different sides and there were lots of battles and fall-outs between their people, Saul had a son called Jonathan who was a very good friend of David’s. Now when Saul and Jonathan had both died, David was made King. He was a very powerful King and, although he made mistakes, a King who loved God very much. One day, King David asked “is there anyone left in Saul’s house who I can show kindness to for the sake of my friend Jonathan?” This was a strange thing to say since David’s army had taken everything away from Saul and his people. But nevertheless, David learned that one of Jonathan’s sons was still alive. His name was Mephibosheth and he had lame feet and wasn’t able to use them. So David called Mephibosheth to him. “Don’t be afraid” he said. I will show kindness to you because of your father, Jonathan. I will give you back the land that belonged to your grandfather”. Mephibosheth was amazed! What did a powerful King like David want with a lame man like him? David looked at Mephibosheth with kindness. “You will always eat at my table” said David. Mephibosheth, although orphaned by the death of his father, had been welcomed into the King’s house! Mephiboseth ate at the King’s table just like one of the King’s sons.

Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit, guarantees all his believers adoption into the house of God. We are welcomed in to eat at the King of King’s table all the days of our lives. There’s plenty for us there. The Father loves us and adopts us as his children. He will not leave us as orphans but welcomes us into his loving arms.

Pray:

Take some time to thank God that he has not left you alone or without help. Thank him for the Holy Spirit and ask the Holy Spirit to live in you. You’re not an orphan, you don’t have to do anything alone because God is there every step. Maybe you’d like to take some time to pray as a family that the Holy Spirit would live in you and help you love God more.