THOUGHTS

April 9, 2020

A reprint from April 11, 2014

Just wondering, did Jesus think of the children as He died on the cross? 

 Did He think of us as little children?  His disciples?

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, 'Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?'  And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, 'Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea...See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven."  Matthew 18:1-6, 10.

Oh, those angels were full of suffering love as they beheld not only God's Son on the cross,

but God's face as He watched His one and only suffer and die!

Mark 9:36-37 gives a little more insight into the who-is-the-greatest argument the disciples had.  Jesus "began to question them, 'What were you discussing on the way?' (Busted!)  But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest (silly boys).  Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, 'If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.  Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 'Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me."

Even my grown children are my babies, will always be my babies.  Isn't that how God, the very God of the universe still sees us?  Hosea was a prophet whose whole life was to be exhibit A of how God loves us.  "When Israel was a youth I loved him, And out of Egypt I called my son...Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in My arms...I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love...I bent down and fed them...How can I give you up, O Ephraim?  How can I surrender you, O Israel?...My heart is turned over within Me, All My compassions are kindled."  Hosea 11:1, 3, 4, 8.  This is so much like Jesus weeping over Jerusalem, "But they would not."

If Jesus loves His children so much as to die for them, do you think He would let anyone mess with His kids without His wrath?  Nothing has escaped His notice concerning His little ones with their angels reporting incessantly to God Himself, face to face.  Woe to the one who hurts them.  Woe to the one who hurts you.

There is just something about that God of ours, His tender, compassionate heart that sent His one and only Son as a baby whom He watched grow up in a cruel world.  God adores babies, loves children as they remind Him of His most precious Son when He was little.

What are those cords of love that are mentioned in Hosea?  In past times, little children's clothes had "leading strings" sewn into them, strings that allowed the children some freedom, but still allow a loving parent to hold them to keep the child from stumbling.  I don't know if they were used in Bible days, but that's the image I have of cords of love.  They were the balance of letting go and holding on for those learning to walk.  I think in this life, we are all beginners in grace, wobbly walkers with a merciful God holding on.