Let The Children Come To Me

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by  Mrs. Rita D'Souza

(Mark 10:14)
Jesus loved children and had time for them, to pick them up in his arms, lay his hands on them and bless them.

According to Genesis 1:28 after God made man & woman in his image and likeness he blessed them. The root word for “blessing” in Hebrew means to bow the knee or to esteem of high value. God didn’t just make man but also gave him his blessing, his acceptance and made him valuable & precious in his sight.

In the Old Testament, the parents blessing particularly that of the Father was of great significance and was prophetic in nature. This is seen in Genesis 27:1-40. Esau’s cry “Bless me also father” is echoed in the hearts of many even till today many who have never received their parents blessings.

5 ways we can bless our children or any loved one:

1. The Spoken Word: We need to affirm, appreciate and express our love verbally, clearly and specifically. Silence only conveys confusion and leaves the child insecure. We need to do this not only when they deserve it but also when they don’t. For eg: “Son, you are more important to me than your examination results.” We need to say sorry when we have hurt our children. We can use creative ways, send them a letter, email, appreciating them, etc. We need to affirm them verbally before others.

2. Meaningful Touch: There is a crucial need for this element of the blessing. Jesus took the children in his arms. Many children who have never received the physical hug, cuddle or embrace from their parents grow up with a sense of lack and in turn are not able to give love when they are parents. In Mk 1:40-42 Jesus heals the leper. He not only spoke the word from afar, but touched him also. Lepers were outcasts in those days and the Lord’s touch meant love and acceptance and an emotional healing for the leper as well. Hosea 11:3-4 also gives us a picture of a meaningful touch. .... “I took them up in my arms, …..I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks.”

3. Expressing High Value: We need to communicate to the children that they are valuable and precious to us.

(a) We could use a word picture which can be very meaningful to children. Gen 49: Jacob uses word pictures to bless his sons for example ….Joseph will be a fruitful bough.

(b) We need to spend quality time with them.

(c) We need to express love in a way that they need. Each child interprets love in a different way. For some children, to be loved means to receive a gift, for others it could mean time spent with them. We need to rely on the Holy Spirit to understand the uniqueness of every child, and thus love them.

4. Picturing a Special Future: Jeremiah 29:11 – The Lord says that he has a plan for us - to give us a future and a hope. We could also communicate to our children in faith a future of hope for them. For eg: “I believe God has a plan for you son/ daughter – I believe you are going to be a person of character using the gifts God has given you etc…” We need to give them freedom to be themselves rather than force down our ambitions on them.

5. Commitment: All we say must be accompanied with action. They need to see us do what we promise. We need to be consistent and committed in our caring for and loving them.
Even if all these elements of the blessing are present it would still not be enough. None of us can be perfect parents. The greatest thing we can ever give our children is Jesus and introduce them into a personal relationship with Him.

In Exodus 2 we see how Moses’ mother hides him in a basket. If she had held on to him, he would have been killed. She had to let go and release her baby. When she let go, God took over and fulfilled his plan in Moses’ life. We need to let go of our children to Jesus and trust him to fulfill his plan for them.

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