People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.   Mark 10:13-16

You can just imagine the disciples' mindset when people brought their children to Jesus to be blessed.  Jesus was a popular teacher, thousands upon thousands came to hear him speak and to have their sick ones healed and the disciples themselves wanted their own personal time with their leader.  Add to that the fact that children did not rank highly in society and you can see why the disciples tried to turn parents away for wasting Jesus' time.

But what did Jesus do?  He got upset with the disciples and insisted that the children be brought to him.  He picked them up and blessed them; he made time for them.  These verses made me think of how important it is to teach the children in our lives from God's word and to teach them how to pray, for how else would they come to Jesus?  These verses are also relevant for adults because Jesus states that only those who "receive the kingdom of God like a little child" will enter it.  In other words, as small children are fully dependant on their parents to care and provide for them, so we must be fully dependant on God for our salvation.



So as you enjoy today's child-themed CAST finds, take some time to pray for the children you know and to pray for yourself, that you may always be reminded to trust in God rather than in your own abilities.

Deb - dspdavey