Tag: children and Jesus
Sunday Rest and Reflection: Children!
Dear Friends,
Greetings on a beautiful day of resurrection rest! Fall is here and seasons are changing with leaves turning color and crops being harvested. Apples are for sale at the orchard and pumpkins are everywhere! We have had a bountiful year here for those growing crops and are again blessed as a nation to have an abundant food supply.
As I reflect back over this last week, there is so much that I could write on from Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus was truly the “Christ, son of the living God”! He demonstrated that again and again to his followers so they could believe and share their faith with others and ultimately reach the world. However, growing to be a mature disciple and follower of the Lord takes time and sometimes correction. I want to comment on a short passage found in Matthew 19:13-15.
“Then, children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hand on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” “When He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there.””
Children are so important in our lives and in the kingdom of heaven. When children are younger, they are more open and teachable and need to meet Jesus. It is the parents’ duty to bring their children to Jesus, to pray for them regularly, and lay hands on them. We must not do anything to hinder them. It seems that the disciples thought that Jesus did not want to be bothered by parents and small children. They rebuked them and tried to send them away. They dismissed these small children as insignificant and felt that one so special as Jesus would want to be left alone.
We need to be sure that we do not make the same kind of mistake! Many in the church seem to view children as a distraction. They don’t want to help with children and work to train them. Children and nursery workers are very hard to recruit and volunteers are hard to come by. Older people seem to feel that they have done their duty or put in their time. Younger parents say that they need a break. Many say that children aren’t their calling and they have no patience with them. We seem to suffer from the same mentality as these early disciples and stand to be rebuked by our master as well!
Jesus set a wonderful example for us all! He took time for children. He touched children and prayed for them. He took them into His arms and blessed them. He did not make excuses of having no calling, or being too busy, or having more important things to do. Children are a heritage from the Lord, a reward from Him! (Psalm 127:3-5) They will carry on Christ’s work, should Jesus tarry. Let’s be sure we are not hindering them and that we are praying for them, teaching and blessing them.
In His Love, Pastor John