Matthew 11:25-30 Little Children Understand
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: March 19, 2019, Matthew 11:25-30
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
(Understanding the Text) Jesus has just finished speaking about the people who had lots of opportunities to accept His teaching and signs and who still rejected Him. I don’t know if this is chronological or if Matthew is grouping these ideas topically, but either way, Matthew wants us to see that there is a connection between the condemnation of Capernaum and Jesus thanking the Father that the “wise and understanding” could not accept the teachings, but little children saw the teachings clearly. I’m not sure why it was the Father’s will, except that if people would not accept Jesus Himself, then all the wisdom and understanding of the teachings would be meaningless, so it is better that they do not understand? I’ll need to think about this more.
(Revelation of God) The next part is a profound statement for us to remember. We can only know the Father through Jesus. The Son knows the Father inside and out. If we study Jesus and learn to know Him, we will also know the Father. It’s also interesting that Jesus said that we don’t know Him, but the Father does. I think this is a statement of how much more there is to Jesus than we can comprehend. His divinity means that only the Father, who is also divine, can truly know Him. He does not mention the Spirit. I wonder where He fits in all this. There was no need to mention the Spirit here because the lesson was about knowing the Father, not knowing Jesus. The Spirit testifies of Jesus. Among the Godhead, whoever is with us testifies of the one who is not with us.
Jesus says that when we are burdened and feel like we cannot carry the weight upon us to come to Him for rest. He asks us to exchange our burdens for His yoke because if we are using His yoke, He is there with us pulling alongside of us and taking the burdens from us. Jesus asks us to work with Him and let Him work with us so that we are not trying to carry life’s burdens alone. This is an invitation to learn from Jesus and receive His peace.
(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that I need to stop trying to do the jobs that Jesus gives me, or even every day life, in my own power. I should stop striving for success alone and blaming myself when I don’t succeed. Instead, I should come to Jesus and give Him my worries and heaviness. I do that in reading and listening, but I do not do that enough in prayer. I need to commune more with You and listen to You and tell You my feelings and problems more.