Mark 9:42 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

Millstones ranged in size from convenient in-home models to much larger industrial strength models that required the strength of a mule to use. Jesus is referring to the industrial sized millstone … very big and very heavy … you don’t want to go swimming with a millstone necklace.

It seems that with every passing day the news is filled more and more with news of children kidnapped and murdered or abused. I have a hard time watching any movie or television program, reading any news articles about children being hurt. It’s because I have kids and I love them dearly. I don’t know what I would do to anyone who intentionally harmed them … but it might involve a millstone necklace.

What do my own personal feelings of love and protection toward my own children have to do with what Jesus is teaching in Mark 9? Well, if I love my children that much … and my love is imperfect, how much more must God, in His perfect love, care for His children?

Our God is jealous for us … He wants our affections. I love the song ”How He Loves” … the lyrics are:

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree, Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy. When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, And I realize just how beautiful You are, And how great Your affections are for me.

1 John 4:9-10 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

God wants our affections and is provoked by anyone or anything that would seek to usurp them. God looks at you – His beloved child – and says to those who would harm you or lead you into temptation … “I’ve got a pair of cement shoes for you if you hurt my beloved child …You lay one finger on her and you will be swimming with the fishes.” God is protective of His children. When we’ve been wronged, our place is not to seek out vengeance. We don’t have to fire off angry emails or concoct our revenge. God’s got it … we don’t have to. Yet sometimes we don’t feel protected. That’s because we don’t see what God sees.

You may remember from 2 Kings how the King of Syria was making war with Israel and whenever he would plot and scheme, Israel was always a step ahead. The King of Syria was concerned that there was a leak of information and someone in his kingdom then remembered that Elisha, a prophet of God, was in Israel. The King asked where in Israel and the servant replied “Dothan.” So the King of Syria sent an army to try to kill Elisha. The army surrounded the city where Elisha and his servant saw the army and was freaked out, but Elisha said to him, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” The servant looked around and saw only he and Elisha. Elisha, knowing the bewilderment of his servant prayed, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (2 Kings 6).

God’s got you covered. You don’t have to worry or fret. When I was a kid, I went to a football game and was excited because I got to sit down close to the field. I soon realized that a seat on the level of the field was not the best point of view except for what’s going on directly in front of you. Later in life, I watched a game from higher up in the seats and had a much better view of the whole field. You know, God built the thing … He’s the Creator and He’s got the VIP booth looking down at the whole thing … He’s got the better view. If you are God’s kid, you don’t have to worry because God has the best – His best – in store for you … whatever that may hold, it is best … yes, whatever that may hold.