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This week we are continuing our study of Chapter 18. Please read verses 18:15-22 every day this week and, if possible, use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 18:15-17 (The Message)
‘People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.”’
Christmas is just around the corner and if you’re anything like me, you’re amazed at where the time has gone. It only seems like yesterday when we were celebrating Christ’s birth last year!
This time of year has become known as ‘The festive season’ or ‘The Holiday Season’. Every year we see less and less of the real reason for the season. Some people are more interested in the best TV advert than they are about finding out more about the birth of the Saviour of the world. Commercialism is rife and has replaced Christ in so many facets of society.
This ‘virus’ has pervaded our young people and they now have lists of presents that run into hundreds of pounds. Some of these children don’t give their lists as things that they would ‘like to have’. They are almost a bulleted list of demands. Pity help any parent that gets the wrong toy or inadvertently omits one or several of their presents. I have seen video clips of children that have thrown the gift at their parents because they had purchased the wrong colour toy!
Years ago, things were so different. A stocking filled with fruit and perhaps a chocolate bar or two would be appreciated just as much as more expensive items. I’m told of children who would play for hours with an empty cardboard box! There was an attitude of gratitude that is so sadly missing today. Society and culture has slowly but surely given our children a ‘maturity’ that demands more and more while all the time giving less and less. As a child, they should be willing to accept gifts without a thought of other wants or desires.
Jesus warns us about this kind of ‘maturity’. He says that ‘Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in!’. Jesus is the greatest gift that the world has ever seen and yet so many take a look at Him and decide that they don’t want Him. Just like some of the children mentioned earlier, they don’t like some of the things that Jesus is ‘wrapped in’. Religion and hypocrisy are very often the things that people see when they look at Jesus. A childlike attitude is to get rid of the wrapping as soon as possible to get to the gift inside!
Many other people think that this ‘gift’ isn’t really what they wanted and they decide to receive other gifts instead. Jesus is left to one side while they follow after parties, commercialism and self-centred attitudes. Being like a child means that the gift on offer is readily accepted without any kind of self-serving agendas.
This Christmas, please join me in a prayer that would result in many, many people being childlike as far as Jesus is concerned and respond in simple faith by taking the wonderful gift of Jesus as their Saviour. Take a few moments now to pray for specific people and ask that God shines brightly in their lives this year.
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