Minute Meditation: Knowing Jesus
“I first got acquainted with Jesus when I was a child, singing “Jesus Loves Me” in Sunday School, addressing bedtime prayers to “Dear Lord Jesus”, watching Bible Club teachers move cutout figures across a flannelgraph board. I associated Jesus with Kool-Aid and sugar cookies and gold stars for good attendance.” (Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew, Harper Collins, 1995)
“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 1 Cor. 13:11 (NIV)
In the past several weeks I have had the wonderful privilege of speaking with two different sets of parents about their child’s salvation experience. It seems that both of these children came to comprehend their need for the Lordship of Jesus “independently.” That is to say that it didn’t happen in Sunday School, or Kids Church, or even during family devotions.
Children have a wonderful capacity for experiencing God. I marvel at how naturally they come to know and love Jesus. The stories of the Bible are readily absorbed and matters of faith are matter of fact.
I counseled these parents to work on their children’s maturing faith, teaching them to stay in love with Jesus all their lives. I encouraged them to help them get beyond the Kool-Aid and sugar cookies into the relational aspect of knowing Jesus, all the while maintaining awe and wonder for the glories of God and His creation. After I conversed with them about their children’s faith, I gently reminded them to work on their own faith walk with Jesus. After all, Kool-Aid and sugar cookies are great, but a cup of coffee and a sandwich is great too.
“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 1 Cor. 13:11 (NIV)
In the past several weeks I have had the wonderful privilege of speaking with two different sets of parents about their child’s salvation experience. It seems that both of these children came to comprehend their need for the Lordship of Jesus “independently.” That is to say that it didn’t happen in Sunday School, or Kids Church, or even during family devotions.
Children have a wonderful capacity for experiencing God. I marvel at how naturally they come to know and love Jesus. The stories of the Bible are readily absorbed and matters of faith are matter of fact.
I counseled these parents to work on their children’s maturing faith, teaching them to stay in love with Jesus all their lives. I encouraged them to help them get beyond the Kool-Aid and sugar cookies into the relational aspect of knowing Jesus, all the while maintaining awe and wonder for the glories of God and His creation. After I conversed with them about their children’s faith, I gently reminded them to work on their own faith walk with Jesus. After all, Kool-Aid and sugar cookies are great, but a cup of coffee and a sandwich is great too.
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