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Topic: Worship (05/03/04)
TITLE: The song of a child By Sara Westhead 05/06/04 |
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Our church has a very active youth ministry and the teens are often involved in this service through music and testimony. Even the primary school students sometimes share with the congregation, but the group that hits me most is the pre-schoolers.
Barely two, my son loves to sing. Some of his early favourites – the ones that calmed him when he was most upset – included old favourites, like, “Jesus Loves Me” and “Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam.” We sang these songs over and over again for him, to the point that he started requesting them. Even now, I watch him get into the groove whenever any kind of music comes along.
There is just something about the littlest of children sing songs of praise about Jesus.
I have a friend who adores my son, mostly because he’s my son, but really isn’t a “kid-person.” I would imagine that the disciples were pretty much the same way. We can’t know for sure, but some of them may have had children, or would at least eventually have children, but they were men, and in those days, taking care of children was women’s work.
So when a group of children were brought to the Master to be blessed, it really wasn’t much of a surprise that they tried to quickly turn them away. Children were to be seen and not heard. Actually, it was better if the children weren’t even seen.
But Christ saw something different.
He said to them: “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Why was it so important for Christ to receive these little ones?
Because of their purity.
In the gospel of Matthew, Christ said to the disciples, “Verily, I say unto you, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.” (18:3-5)
In a child’s eyes, everything is so simple. Jesus is God. We are sinners. Jesus died to save us from our sins. All we have to do is believe in Him and accept Him as the only way to heaven.
When a child sings, “Jesus Loves Me,” look at their face. They sing with all their heart and soul. They sing at the top of their lungs. They sing to worship the one who died to save them.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." – Philippians 4:8