Friday 15^th February

Mark 10:13-16

There is no doubt children are a blessing. Yes their screams and tantrums are testing at times but where you not once a child? Sometimes the words of a child speak more wisdom than that of an adult. Today’s passage leads us into an interesting story of the disciple’s hardened attitudes towards children and Jesus’ Fatherly response.

To set the scene, Jesus has just finished talking about divorce and remarriage and is reminding His audience of the covenant between man and woman and its ordination by God. Jesus presumably retires to the house of one of the disciples to get some rest as they had just been travelling from Capernaum to Judea and most have been weary from the journey. As they are resting, some people bring children to Jesus, in order that He might bless them. This was not un-ordinary as people often brought children to the Rabbi’s to get a blessing (hence where our modern day dedication comes from). The disciples harshly rebuke those who had brought the children and begin to turn them away. Again this could have presumably been because they were trying to give Jesus some rest time.

Jesus’ response here is worth taking note of. His words to the disciples contain a key lesson in man’s relationship with God. But before Jesus shares His wise words, he sternly rebukes the disciples and says to them “do not forbid the little children, let them come.” Jesus’ acceptance of children is also a lesson to us today. Jesus, in the previous verses reinstates the value of marriage and now here, He highlights the importance of family life, specifically the blessing of children. “Let them come” is a statement that stands as a reminder that Jesus values children and desires them to be in His presence also.

Ok, so back to the story. Jesus’ next statement is to describe the receiving of the Kingdom of God as a child. For if we don’t “You will be no means enter it”. (verse 15). I always understood this text to mean that we should have a child like faith in order to inherit God’s Kingdom and to have child like faith in prayer, a pure and undefiled belief in Him. However Paul’s epistles often refer to moving away from childlike things and growing in maturity. It finally occurred to me that in fact it is our relationship with the Father that must be as a child, not childlike. What does that mean?

Well, take a child and their relationship with their parents. When they are hungry they feed them. Thirsty, they give them a drink. Naked, they clothe them. When a child needs to go somewhere, they take them. Without the parent the child would be helpless. The child’s dependence of the parent is paramount to their survival. How could a child possibly survive without the aid of a parent? This is the issue Jesus is addressing here. In order to truly have the Kingdom of God in our hearts, we must first have a full reliance and dependence on our Heavenly Father. Jesus is saying here that His children should trust the Father not only to be feed, clothed and given a drink but also to trust in Him for all our needs. Not only is God the Father a loving, kind and gracious Father who supplies all our needs, He is a Father in whom we can have assurance that He wants the best for our lives. Furthermore, it is in reliance upon that Him that our Salvation is found. There is nothing we can do to earn the Kingdom of God in our hearts. It is only the reliance and assurance in God the Father, not in our inadequacy but in God’s mercy. Next time you see a child remember your Heavenly Father. Trust in Him. Lean on Him. Rely on Him. He is a gracious Dad who wants the best for you. Amen.