Jesus loves children. He did when He walked those dusty streets when He was here on earth, and He still does now. Sometimes children, at a young age, can seem uninterested in the things of God. This should not be used to conclude that God is uninterested in them. I believe the Old and New Testaments are riddled with proof that God is intentional about caring for the precious young ones in our lives. Join us as we explore when God answers the question, “What About the Children?”
1) Read Matthew 19:14
Jesus lets his disciples know to simply not get in the way of children coming close to Him. It may seem elementary, but how often do we get in the way of children, either literally, or spiritually, getting close to Jesus? Do you remember being a child in the faith? Had you ever experienced anyone hindering you from getting closer to God? Let us know on social media using #MessageMag.
2) Read Joshua 3:15-17
Is it just me or do the most hindering things in life seem to always come when we’re close to what God has in store? It’s the stress before peace, trouble before blessing, Jordan River before the Promised Land. Have you known you were close to what God promised, but there was something you still had to overcome? Let us know using #MessageMag.
3) Read Joshua 3:17
See it with me. The priests step into the Jordan River and the water doesn’t even touch their ankles before the miraculous begins. The water curls up onto itself in the direction it was coming from. It begins to empty in the direction it was going until there is nothing but riverbed in sight. I can only imagine the awe the Israelites had. Has God ever shown you something that is literally awesome? Let us know and use #MessageMag.
4) Read Joshua 3:1-4
Can you still see the scene? For some reason people were told to stand at a distance from the Ark of God. Through their eyes, on one side, there was no river where there was supposed to be a river. They were walking on dry ground. Then on the other side they could look and see the Ark, but if they looked passed the Ark they could see the river piling up on itself ready to wash them away. How many times has God stood in the gap and stopped what was supposed to wash us away? Has he done it for you? Let us know using #MessageMag.
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Some people may wonder if God still does amazing things like this in this day and age. I know that the answer is a resounding yes! Is there a miracle that God has worked in your life or the life of someone around you? Let us know here at message on social media using #MessageMag. I’m sure someone will be encouraged and inspired by your experience.
6) Read Joshua 4:1-7
God gave an interesting directive after the people had crossed over the Jordan. He said get 12 stones and when you camp, set them up. They were to remind the people of what He had done, not only at the Jordan but also at the Red Sea. Finally God said to let the children know, when they asked, what that meant. Do we pass down the testimony of how we made it over? I wonder if our youth are at a distance because we haven’t shared how God has come close in our situations? I invite you to pray for God to give you an opportunity to share with a young person what He brought you through.
7) Read Joshua 4:20-24
I truly believe that our young people need to know what God has brought us through. They need to be able to ask questions about why things are the way they are. We should all have our own personal Gilgal where all will know that God has been powerful in that place. We need to be open with our youth that God has to take us through some things that were the results of our bad decisions. I think this will help keep us from having to ask, “What About the Children?”
Rashad Burden is the pastor of the Mount Olive and Shiloh Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Southern Alabama.
