The value of childlike trust

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

People living in Merseyside, indeed people everywhere, have been devastated and shocked by the recent killing of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in the Dovecot area of Liverpool. We extend our prayers and deepest sympathies to the Pratt-Korbel family. What a waste of a young life, bringing heartbreak and pain to her family and friends. It is evil to take a life, but for most of us, it is stepping far over the line when a child is killed. Children are precious and the foundation upon which the hopes and aspirations of succeeding generations are built. 

 

The Lord Jesus had a special place in His heart for children. One day a group of parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them[i]’. His disciples scolded the parents for bothering Jesus. They were, no doubt, amazed when Jesus turned and told them, ‘Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God’ [ii]. What did Jesus mean? He was saying that children are like those who are going to heaven. They trust with simple faith, just as those going to heaven turn from their sin and trust God with childlike faith. Isn’t it wonderful how a child trusts a parent! The belief that the parent is there for them and will look after them is very special. When that trust is betrayed, it has lifelong adverse effects on a person’s life. God will never betray your trust. One Bible writer says, ‘we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men’ [iii].

Good versus Evil!

The fact of evil in the world is a very disturbing thing and causes many people heartache and problems. It is quite right to question why evil exists, how things came to be the way they are and if there are any solutions to these big issues.

The Bible clearly teaches that God created good as well as evil. This is a puzzle to many and rightly so because we wonder how a God of holiness could create something called evil. As we read the Bible we discover this 'God is light and in him is no darkness at all'. We also discover that God is kind, compassionate, caring and loving. This is all summarised in the statement 'God is Love'. So there is no indication that God acts in an evil way despite the fact that at times we do not understand why he allows certain circumstances in our lives.

There are other very clear statements in the Bible which indicate that God expects people to obey his holy commandments and principles which are there to ensure our blessing and well being. However the Bible does state that God will judge all men according to his standard of righteousness on the day of judgment and our only hope of salvation is found in His Son, Jesus Christ. 

The Bible teaches that God created all things. He gave human beings the ability to think, act and choose certain courses of action. God established a principle in the universe of sowing and reaping. There are consequences to actions and outcomes to behaviours and the choices that we make. Bad choices end in bad outcomes and so evil is perpetuated as a result of wrong choices. To say that God wants us to make bad choices and reap evil consequences would not fit with what you read in the Bible. From the very beginning God told us what was good and what was bad. He told the first couple (Adam and Eve) that the day they disobeyed Him they would die. He warned them that breaking His law put them at a distance from him. And so it did! Since the day Adam sinned we live life without God. We hurt and suffer because of the existence of evil activity in our world. And if we end this life without seeking forgiveness and reconciliation to God we seal our fate and face eternal separation from God (bear in mind this includes all that God provides: love, joy peace, safety etc). 

It can be so different! God sent his Son (Jesus) into the world not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. God has taken the initiative and in the death of His Son paid the debt of sin. He offers the gift of eternal life to all who will take it.

The only condition is acceptance of our condition as guilty before God and acceptance of Jesus Christ as the exclusive means of salvation. If we turn from our sin and depend on Christ for salvation we will immediately come into the good of God's great offer of salvation.

For more information text the word INFO to 07747 101352 

To access podcasts and videos explaining the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

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All posts have the aim of pointing people to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour or to aid Christian growth and development.

Child Mortality

 

If you study the gravestones in these pictures and note the ages of the children and infants who died it will sober you up. One died at age two years and five months, another at four years and three months (and they were siblings!). In another family one three year old died on the 1st of January and the older five year old died six days later on the 7th of January and that was after losing an eighteen month old baby of the 20th of May the previous year. 

Oh how privileged we are to have medical services, medicine and treatment, a healthier lifestyle and treatment for our children. How would you cope? Yet many still lose their children in their infancy in other countries. Thank God for your blessings!

The only comfort I find is in scripture. Jesus taught that little ones look upon the face of his Father in heaven, Matthew 18:10 and I believe he confirms the fact that they are automatically in heaven in the next verse (v11) by stating that 'the Son of man is come to save that which was lost'. In other passages when Jesus makes this statement it is said that 'he came to seek and to save that which was lost,' Luke 19:10. The Saviour seeks adults to trust him but he automatically saves children who do not have the ability or power to reject him. 

I for one, am so glad of the grace of God - are you?

More info can be found at www.seekthetruth.org.uk.