Let the Children Come to Me
In Luke 18 we read the following story about Jesus:
People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
Jesus was a very powerful man. He was physically strong evidenced by His journeys, walking across the countryside. I have literally walked in the footsteps of Jesus and can attest to His physical strength.
In the story told by Saint Luke, we see the disciples rebuking the parents from approaching Jesus. We are not told why the disciples felt that they needed to protect Jesus from the crush of the parents, just that they rebuked them. One may speculate that the disciples felt Jesus needed a rest or that Jesus needed to be on His way to some place more important. The reasons why the disciples rebuked the parents are not as important as the response of Jesus.
I can picture Him sweeping aside the disciples with one arm and picking up a child in the other. He holds the child close to His heart and turns to the disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.”
I can also picture the joy on the faces of the Moms and Dads as they presented their children to Jesus for His blessing. Oh how happy they must have been to see the Master bless their children. I can also see the joy on the face of Jesus as He blesses the children. He is patient, allowing each child in turn to share, ask questions, pull on His hair, and hug Him tight. The picture of Jesus blessing the children gives me peace and joy.
I feel the same joy when I walk the halls of Our Savior Lutheran School. I see the children sharing with their teachers, I hear the greetings of the children calling to me, I hear the stories from home, the important events in the lives of the children. I hear about lost teeth and new puppies, sick relatives and vacations. I hear the joy in the hearts of the children as they pray the Lord’s prayer, sing praises to Jesus or share their hearts with their Savior.
I am so very joyous when I see the parents bringing their children to the doors of Our Savior. For I know that once they are inside, they will meet Jesus. Jesus will bless them through the words and deeds of the pastors, the teachers, the teacher aides, the secretaries, the cooks, the librarian, the computer man, the janitors and all of the volunteers at Our Savior. From the smallest infant in Little Lambs to the biggest eighth grader – all of the children are blessed by our Savior.
I am blessed in turn by the children. No matter what my mood when I enter the building, I always leave the building having laughed with the children, smiled with a shared story, or been touched by their sweet heart. I praise God for the joy of the children.
In Luke 18 we read the following story about Jesus:
People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
Jesus was a very powerful man. He was physically strong evidenced by His journeys, walking across the countryside. I have literally walked in the footsteps of Jesus and can attest to His physical strength.
In the story told by Saint Luke, we see the disciples rebuking the parents from approaching Jesus. We are not told why the disciples felt that they needed to protect Jesus from the crush of the parents, just that they rebuked them. One may speculate that the disciples felt Jesus needed a rest or that Jesus needed to be on His way to some place more important. The reasons why the disciples rebuked the parents are not as important as the response of Jesus.
I can picture Him sweeping aside the disciples with one arm and picking up a child in the other. He holds the child close to His heart and turns to the disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.”
I can also picture the joy on the faces of the Moms and Dads as they presented their children to Jesus for His blessing. Oh how happy they must have been to see the Master bless their children. I can also see the joy on the face of Jesus as He blesses the children. He is patient, allowing each child in turn to share, ask questions, pull on His hair, and hug Him tight. The picture of Jesus blessing the children gives me peace and joy.
I feel the same joy when I walk the halls of Our Savior Lutheran School. I see the children sharing with their teachers, I hear the greetings of the children calling to me, I hear the stories from home, the important events in the lives of the children. I hear about lost teeth and new puppies, sick relatives and vacations. I hear the joy in the hearts of the children as they pray the Lord’s prayer, sing praises to Jesus or share their hearts with their Savior.
I am so very joyous when I see the parents bringing their children to the doors of Our Savior. For I know that once they are inside, they will meet Jesus. Jesus will bless them through the words and deeds of the pastors, the teachers, the teacher aides, the secretaries, the cooks, the librarian, the computer man, the janitors and all of the volunteers at Our Savior. From the smallest infant in Little Lambs to the biggest eighth grader – all of the children are blessed by our Savior.
I am blessed in turn by the children. No matter what my mood when I enter the building, I always leave the building having laughed with the children, smiled with a shared story, or been touched by their sweet heart. I praise God for the joy of the children.