In Mark 10:13-16 we read the story where Jesus blessed the children.
— ¹³And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; DO NOT HINDER THEM; for the kingdom of God BELONGS TO SUCH as these. ¹⁵Truly I say to you, whoever does not RECEIVE the kingdom of God LIKE A CHILD will not enter it at all”. ¹⁶And He took them in His arms and began BLESSING THEM, laying His hands on them.
Jesus did not agree with the disciples who kept the children away from Him. He REBUKED them and took the opportunity to teach us an IMPORTANT LESSON when He said: “Permit the children to come to Me; DO NOT HINDER THEM; for the kingdom of God BELONGS TO SUCH as these. ¹⁵Truly I say to you, whoever does not RECEIVE the kingdom of God LIKE A CHILD will not enter it at all”.
Like with almost anything, there are churches who will overdo things, so also with this teaching. In those churches you will find a childish behavior. Ofcourse that is not what Jesus meant. These places missed the difference between childish and child-like.
What it means is that we should go open-minded, un-prejudiced, unbiased, and unconcerned to Jesus, and we should believe like little children.
I remember, that when my children were young, and I promised them an ice-cream, they were happy as if they already had received it. They didn’t have it yet, but there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt in their mind, that they were going to get it. Papa promised it, so that was enough to be sure.
In the same way, like little children, we can now already enjoy the promises God gave us in His word. There should not be a shadow of doubt in our minds about the promise.
We will receive what He said.
God’s word said it; and that settles it.
There are things in the Bible that are hard to understand, or even what we cannot understand at all. The Bible nowhere tells us that understanding is neccessary to enter His Kingdom. But we must believe. And also of these things, which we don’t yet understand we can say. The Bible says it, and that is enough. That settles it.
Jesus said in these verses that “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child, will not enter it at all”. So this child-like trusting of God is a must as well.
May God give us all such a child-like faith that doesn’t need further proof. The Bible says it and that’s enough!
Is it for you?
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