August 24-25 – Aha!!

“I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice” - Psalm 34:1-2

It was one of those wet, windy days – the heavens opened overnight and the rain just kept coming and coming. Hundreds of calves had headed back to the farm from the fields to find some shelter, and there they were huddled together, shoulder to hindquarters, behind a fence and the barns. In the rain the ground had churned up into a mess of mud, turning the usual black and white coats of the calves into dirty brown. They looked dejected and miserable. All except one calf. Oblivious to the wind and torrential rain, he skipped and jumped like a child in a puddle. That one mud-caked calf was happy to be alive, and rejoiced in the God-given gift.

It was his “Aha!!” moment.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” - Matthew 19:14

I wonder, when did you and I last experience an “Aha!!” moment of delight and sheer thankfulness for life itself? These moments are beyond happiness – they come out of a deep sense of joy, and explode in sheer exuberance. Like a child you just burst beyond your limits, and have some fun. Joni Eareckson Tada describes this as “kingdom play,” based on the words of Jesus in or text about the children brought to Him. I can SO see Jesus playing chase and ball games with these same youngsters. I believe He shared many a “Aha” moment with the children around Him – and His disciples.

When was the last time you did, or said, something childlike – spur of the moment – out of sheer joy?

Express your delight in life and God today in the way a child would. Finger-paint a wild and colourful poster; sing at the top of your voice one of the songs you learned as a child. Buy a fruit drink and sip it through a straw, right to the dregs, then continue sucking and enjoy the slurping and gurgling sounds. If it is raining, go outside, dance in the downpour, jump in the puddles.


Above all, indulge in a little kingdom play – tell God in word, song and deeds.

Music today “God You're So Good” - by Terry Clarke (HQ) Click on the picture to listen.