From the Mouths of Children

Last Sunday in church, our pastor asked the children, "Would any of you like to pray to open up the service?"  One of my 6 year old twins, Beth, raised her hand.  She had never prayed alone at church before in front of the entire congregation and I wondered what she would say.  She sat with the other children and bowed her head.  She said, "Jesus, Thank you for creating us... and thank you for creating aminals.  In Jesus name, Amen."  What a simple prayer!  Still, my heart swelled with gratitude to God for blessing me with children who love Jesus and know they can talk to Him about everything. Later, though, I couldn't help but remember when a friend of mine voiced concern about children committing their lives to Jesus at an early age and assuming that someone can be too young to understand what that kind of commitment means.  Then I remembered these scriptures from the book of Matthew:

When the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things [Jesus] did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked Him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, "'From the lips of children and infants, you, Lord, have called forth your praise'?"  (Matthew 21:15-16)

It's pretty obvious from those verses that God loves children and will never rebuke them for giving him praise.  Is any age too young to begin loving and serving the true Father of us all?  Perhaps children don't always understand what a wonderful and deep commitment they are making when they ask Jesus into their hearts, but I didn't, either, and I was an adult!  My lack of understanding didn't keep God from accepting me as a daughter He would teach and grow from that moment on.

Lord, Help us to come to you and call on you as freely as little children.  Guide us as we raise our families and show us what it means to praise you with everything we do.  Don't ever allow us to hinder our own children from coming to you.  In Jesus name, Amen.