Man’s creations can seemingly contrasts God’s great creation, or His continuing creation. Whether it is telegraph poles lining the road on a sunset or whether a wood carving is set against the landscape like this ring in Grizedale forest with my daughter, then aged 1. We aspire to create works of art, to create music that provokes peoples emotions and paintings that make us think. But contrast these against God’s wonderful creation, not just what you can see, for God puts all our senses together in His works of art. In fact we are His crowning glory of a work of art.
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
If it is extremely hard or impossible for a rich man to go to heaven without God’s help, then it must be the opposite for a child to go to heaven. How wonderful are children at just telling you how things are. At trusting you far beyond what we grown ups would trust someone. And because of this we have an immense responsibility to do our best, not just to help and guide children, but not to tell them lies and kid them about the reality of things.
I watched the Easter story on cbeebies the other day, don’t ask me how I got to that link, but it very nicely showed the death and resurrection of Jesus informing the children that Jesus came back to life to tell his disciples many good things.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/stories/lets-celebrate-easterperformance
5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
Sadly it doesn’t tell the reason why He was killed and came back to life.
How far do we sanitise the message?
I think children need to know the truth. Yes we don’t have to go into gory details of how but certainly the reason why Jesus died needs to be told. He died because He was the only one that could atone for our sins, and as we are baptised, so are our sins put to death and we are resurrected, converted into a new life.
“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Dear Lord, we need to be humble and trust in you God, that you have designed and shaped us to serve your kingdom, so let us go out and serve you greatly. Let us go out with joy, thanksgiving and repentance to help and to serve in your name.
Amen
with blessings
Graham
365 Exhortations 