God has high regard for children. Throughout scripture He speaks of children often, that we are to love them, care for them and even be like them. He calls those who believe children of God. He sent His Son as a Child, to become the Savior of the world.
Mark 10:14-16
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.
Psalm 127:3-4
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
As the song says, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.” I never had children of my own. I have three step-children, two of which do not talk to me. I still love them and I pray for them every day. But there are many that I call “my children” because they are dear to me. I am getting ready to go on a mission trip to Haiti that I have been doing for several years. What a blessing God has given me to see these kids grow up and watch God work in their lives. After meeting the kids at the mission, I fell in love with them and I hold them close to my heart. We also sponsor children through Compassion International (one my wife and I sponsor and our church also sponsors two children) and I was able to meet a couple of them on one of my trips to Haiti and they had a chance to play with the kids at the mission. What a joy that was!
Mark 9:36-37
Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”
James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
I encourage anyone to go on a mission trip. The week or two that you get out of your comfort zone and be part of a mission will be a great blessing and may change your life. I never dreamed I would ever do something like that, but God brought me out of my comfort zone and changed my perspective on life and gave me a passion I never had. I get nervous every time I go, but also very excited. Once I am with my friends who run the mission and out of the Haiti airport I am fine and the rest of the time is awesome. I often pray for all “my” children for needs, protection, health, strength, but most importantly for their walk with God and their relationship with Jesus Christ. To see them know Him is the greatest blessing of all.
3 John 4
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Matthew 18:10-14
Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Our Father in heaven desires to know us as His children. Scripture often talks about believers being children of God. The Bible mentions that God loves us as a father loves His children and even more-so. He loves us beyond measure, unconditionally and His desire is that we all come to repentance and accept the gift of salvation to eternal life, His grace.
Galatians 3:26-4:7
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Romans 8:14-17
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us, to pay for our sins, to remove our sins and declare us righteous heirs of His glory and our inheritance is eternal life in heaven with Him. Jesus came to this world as a Child, to redeem us that we may be children of God.
Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Luke 1:30-33
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
John 1:6-18
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'”
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
As Christmas approaches, let us celebrate the birth of the Christ Child, Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, and let us teach our children the truth of who He is, and pray for them that the Spirit will guide them, that they will trust in Him and not perish but have everlasting life through Jesus Christ.
My Daily Scriptures 