Faith Of A Child ~ Day 23

October 24 2006 - Day 23

Mark 10:13-16

Passage: In today’s passage I find Jesus being a loving, caring Savior and also being a great prophet concerning the kingdom of God. Jesus was among a group of people when some children came running up to see Him and be blessed and held by Him. These are apparently very small children because the passage says that Jesus took them up in His arms. While the children are trying to get to Jesus, the disciples rebuke their parents (or whoever brought them to Jesus), but Jesus is angered by the disciple's actions. He tells them to let the children come to Him. Jesus then tells the disciples that the only way to enter the kingdom of God is to be just like the children. This was a stern rebuke and probably a very humbling moment for the disciples.

Application: I think this passage can be applied in numerous ways to my life. I want to be careful though and not stretch the analogy that Jesus used in ways it shouldn’t be. The most obvious condition of a child is that they are totally dependent on their parents for all of their life. The parent must provide shelter, food, clothing, and all other necessities. I must approach Jesus in this way. I truly am dependent upon Him for all things in life. I must not come offering my abilities and goodness but rather in a humble attitude of inability and desperate need. Secondly, children are dependent upon their parents for instruction, wisdom, and training in godliness. Children are the best students to be found. They learn so much from their parents, especially in the very first years of their lives. They learn to walk, talk, eat, right from wrong, and other skills. In the same way I must be totally submitted to the teaching of God. I must willing to study the Bible and listen to biblical preaching and teaching. I must be willing to be totally changed in my understanding of the world, of God, and myself. Thirdly, I think Jesus was saying that I must be joyful, glad to be embraced by Him and loved by Him. Children find much joy in their parents company. They love to be loved, cared and embraced by them. I must in the same way be joyful over Jesus. The analogy is not perfect because parents aren’t perfect and children aren't perfect. However, through my relationship to Jesus I have the perfect Father. Thank you Jesus for being so willing to embrace me.