When We Welcome One Child--Aug. 10, 2013

 Jesus, we are far from righteous, but grant

that when we stretch out our hands

it is to do what is right, not wrong,

as in Paul's arms Eutychus recovered life.

Especially guard us from wrong when we

reach out our arms to the young.

To you every new baby is named

Jedidiah--each one is beloved of the Lord.

In welcome we will stretch out our hands,

for when we welcome one child

in your name, we welcome you,

and welcoming you, we welcome God.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 63; 149; 125; 90

2 Sam. 12:15-31

Acts 20:1-16

Mark 9:30-41

Selected Verses

Ps. 125:3

For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
          on the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous might not stretch out
          their hands to do wrong.

2 Sam. 12:24-25

Then David consoled his wife Bathsheba, and went to her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and he named him Solomon.  The LORD loved him, and sent a message by the prophet Nathan; so he named him Jedidiah [Beloved of the LORD], because of the LORD.

Acts 20:10

But Paul went down, and bending over [Eutychus, the young man who had fallen from the window] took him in his arms, and said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.”

Mark 9:37

"Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me." [Jesus, holding a little child in his arms, to his twelve disciples]