Sunday, April 3, 2011

Praying

"Dear Lord Jesus..."

This is how my mum and dad taught us to pray, and this is how we pray with our children. When BigMan is very, very unwell and coughing, quite often during the middle of the night, I pray with him. This past week, BigMan was having a particularly bad coughing fit and in the middle of it his father and I heard him cry, "Dear Jesus!" It broke my heart to hear him so distressed, but it made me happy too, that at such a tender age he already knows that he can call to Jesus for help. And the comforting thing for me, his mum, is that I know that Jesus does hear the prayers of little children.

"Dangerous Journey: The story of Pigrim's Progress"
When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:14-16

When there's nothing left to be done but cuddle and comfort BigMan, I sing to him the same lullaby my mother sang to me and I recite Psalm 23. BigMan loves the 'Shepherd'. He often asks for mummy to tell him about the 'Shepherd'. I love that.

And just now, as we were finishing our 'Family Worship' with a prayer (BigMan likes us to hold hands, like we do for Grace), I opened my eyes ever so slightly to see my beautiful boy sitting on his Daddy's lap with his eyes squeezed tightly shut. It was oh, so precious.

This print hung in our bedroom while growing up. I used to imagine I was the little girl with her head on Jesus' shoulder.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:1-5


2 comments:

  1. Oi, you flamin' wally! You're meant to use 'BigMan' and 'LittleLady'! :P

    And we're praying for you re: the house tomorrow. Can't wait to hear the news. Either way, it's all so exciting and God's got it under control! xo

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  2. Sorry!!! Was very tired and didn't realize I'd done it until after it was up - tired to get it down but couldn't...missing you all lots! Hope and pray Big Man is getting better! xo

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