The other day my 2, almost three year old was fighting nap time. She was crying and crying and after a while I went in thinking she wasn't taking a nap that day. I entered a room and she pointed at the floor and said, "Bu-ble!" I looked and saw a small New Testament Bible on the floor. "You mean Bible?" I said. I handed it to her, she tucked it under her arm and went to sleep!
She loves that little Bible. She takes it every where and won't let it go. I watch her sit and pretend to read it. After 7 children I'm quite amazed at her obvious attachment to this little book with no pictures. There are many verses in the Bible that talk about children and their unique relationship with God. Here is my current favorite:
Psalm 8:2, "You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, (Greek version reads to give you praise.) silencing your enemies and all who oppose you. " NLT
Silence your enemies....now that means power against evil....given to infants! What I take from this verse is that teaching our children the Word is very important. Teaching them to Praise is too!
It blesses my heart to see her embracing a relationship with God and His Word at such a young age. It makes me excited to be a part of her spiritual upbringing as she grows up in the Lord.
There is a familiar spot in Scripture when Jesus blesses the children brought to him:
"People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on 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. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:15-18
This has always brought me joy to know the value God places on children. He shows us through the littlest child that we are born to have a relationship with Him. Jesus teaches us that heaven is full of these precious souls who haven't been deceived by the world and know exactly who He is. Verses like this bring much peace to me and others who have lost a child. That they are citizens in heaven and we will see our babies again someday.
Remember the verse above, Psalm 8:2, "Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger." NKJ
This is also a Scripture of prophesy. It was fulfilled during Jesus' Passion week. He had triumphantly entered Jerusalem, cleared the temple on the Feast of Unleavened Bread and was healing the sick.
"The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.”
But the leaders were indignant. They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”
“Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’ Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight." matthew 21:14-17
We need faith like a child, they don't fight the Truth. They don't doubt who Jesus is, they receive it and proclaim it!
