Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray to God my soul to take.
If I should live for other days,
I pray the Lord to guide my ways.
One of my favorite things I remember doing with each of my children was praying with them at their bedside. I remember, as a dad, kneeling on the floor first asking if they had anything I wanted to pray with them and they asked me the same question. It doesn't take much in the way of faith for children to believe that God exists.
In the book of Matthew, one of his disciples asked Jesus who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God. In Matthew 18: 1-5, we read Jesus's response through these words: " He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me
One of my greatest comforts as a grieving father was this verse in Matthew 18:10-"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."
The older we get and the more educated we become, the more enthralled we become of our own importance that we lose God's perspective of what truly is important. We become like Jesus's disciple, Thomas, who responded to the other disciple's enthusiasm that they had seen the Lord with those words, "But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”(Luke 20:25)
One of my greatest comforts as a grieving father was this verse in Matthew 18:10-"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."
The older we get and the more educated we become, the more enthralled we become of our own importance that we lose God's perspective of what truly is important. We become like Jesus's disciple, Thomas, who responded to the other disciple's enthusiasm that they had seen the Lord with those words, "But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”(Luke 20:25)
One week later, Jesus appeared in the room of the disciples when he said to Thomas, "“Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas seeing that it was really Jesus said "“My Lord and my God!” Jesus responds to Thomas's doubting with these words,"“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
If we came to God every time we encounter a loss and trusted that He knows how to help us process our pain, instead of slamming the door shut and hanging a 'do not disturb sign', I believe, in time, we will utter those words of Thomas, "My Lord and my God!."
If we came to God every time we encounter a loss and trusted that He knows how to help us process our pain, instead of slamming the door shut and hanging a 'do not disturb sign', I believe, in time, we will utter those words of Thomas, "My Lord and my God!."
Some of our greatest lessons on faith can be learned through the eyes of a child!
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