A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (May 11, 2017)
Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. (Psalm 8:2, ESV)
We just returned late last night from a trip to see our granddaughter Kayla Henderson participate in her first talent show at her elementary school. Kayla is seven years old and in the first grade. She came home one day and told her mother that her school was going to have tryouts for a talent show and she wanted to dance. Her mother was shocked. Kayla had never had any dance lessons. Her mom suggested she wait a year and take some dance lessons but Kayla wanted no part of that. She wanted to dance now!
This determined little girl, at 7 years of age, went on the internet and picked out her own music and started practicing her dance with no outside help. She went to the tryouts and was the only first grader invited back to participate in the main event. She invited her grandparents to the event and she was the star of the show. She was totally prepared and not the least bit nervous (can’t say the same thing about her parents and grandparents) before a school cafeteria full of kids and parents. She had the entire audience clapping for her throughout her routine. Amazing! We are so proud of her.
After we returned home I started thinking of all the times Jesus referred to childlike faith and how He wanted us to come to Him like a child. The following are just a few scriptures to remind all of us adults:
And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. (Matthew 10:13-16, ESV)
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, … (Matthew 18:1-14, ESV)
Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Luke 18:15-17, ESV)
But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?” (Matthew 21:15-16, ESV)
We need to be reminded from time to time that pure childlike faith is where we need to get back to. Sometimes, we just get too grown-up.
