FALL
INTO HIS ARMS
LIKE A LITTLE CHILD
Luke
18:15-17
(see
also Matthew 18:1-6, Mark 10:13-16)
Luke
18:15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but
when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
Susan: Infants
could literally be “babes in arms” so these were very young children. Mark ends
the passage with Jesus taking them up in His arms to bless them.
Susie: I
picture them as toddlers. Their parents wanted Jesus to touch and bless them.
Susan: The
parents a desired a prominent rabbi’s blessing for their children which was a
common practice in Jewish culture.
Susie: The
disciples, for some reason, thought this was an annoyance, taking up the
Master’s time with children who could not understand His message yet.
Susan: When
the disciples rebuked the children, Jesus let them know it was not within their
place to decide. Only He determined whom He would spend time with and
especially whom He would bless.
Luke
18:16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come
unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Susan: Jesus
told the disciples to allow the little children to come to Him and not to hold
them back. They were not to be prohibited from coming to Him.
Susie: I’ve
been in churches where small children were completely discouraged from ever
coming to “big church” or especially to the altar.
Susan: I gave
my life to Jesus when I was still pre-kindergarten age, three or four years
old. I am so glad that my Grandad carried me down the aisle to the front of the
church instead of saying, “No, you’re too little, Baby.” I am also thankful
that Brother T. D. Hall took my desire to know Jesus seriously. In the church
of which I am now a member, children are encouraged to come to the altar and
pray or talk to a minister. Before they go to Children’s Church, they are in the
sanctuary for worship and a mini-sermon.
Susie: Jesus
tells them, “For of such is the Kingdom of God.” He does not mean that only children will be in
His kingdom, but that His people will have childlike trust.
Susan: Childlike
faith is complete trust, total abandonment and humility. It is coming to
everything asking what Jesus would have me do, realizing He knows best.
Luke
18:17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as
a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
Susie: What
does it mean to receive the kingdom of God like a child?
Susan: A
small child’s trust can be illustrated by their jumping off the bed or the side
of the pool into Mom’s or Dad’s arms with complete abandon, total confidence
that Mom or Dad will make the catch with no trouble at all. They fearlessly
fling themselves into the air.
Susie: The
child is, also, a picture of coming to Jesus in total humility. A child has
nothing to offer, has not yet done anything of significance, but believes they
are loved. We must surrender ourselves to Jesus, knowing we have nothing of value
within ourselves, and trusting that He will hold us up in His everlasting arms.
Ponder
this and Apply it: Have you given up the idea that you can somehow
earn a place in God’s kingdom and flung yourself with reckless abandon into His
arms, trusting in Him alone to save you? It may seem scary to ask the Lord to
take control of your life, but the Heavenly Father truly “knows best.” Trust in
Him today for the first time or as we need to remind ourselves, trust Him each
new day no matter what happens. Click on the link to listen to Dennis Jernigan
sing about trusting Jesus. The song “I Will Trust You” begins at 1:03 on the
video:
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