A Child’s Hope

Thanks for joining me for today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled A Child's Hope, was written by Dave Brannan. When my granddaughter, Eliana, was just seven, she saw a video at her school about an orphanage in Guatemala. She told her mom, we have to go there to help them. Her mom replied that they would think about it when she was older. Eliana never forgot. And sure enough, when she was 10, her family went to help in the orphanage. Two years later, they went back, this time taking along a couple of other families from Eliana's school.

When Eliana was 15, she and her dad went again to Guatemala to serve. We sometimes think the wishes and dreams of little children don't carry the weight of adult hopes. But scripture seems to make no such distinction. God calls children, as in the case of Samuel. Jesus honors the faith of little ones. And Paul said younger believers shouldn't let people discount them just because they are young. So we're called to guide our children, recognizing that their faith is a model for us all, and understanding that hindering them is something that Christ warned against.

When we see a spark of hope in children, our job as adults is to help ignite it. And as God leads us, encourage them toward a life dedicated to trust in Jesus and service for Him. The scripture reading for today's devotional is from Luke chapter 18 verses 15 through 17. People were also bringing babies to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them.

When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to Him and said, Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God, like a little child, will never enter it.

Would you pray with me? Dear Heavenly Father, children all around the world need You. Lead us as we seek to guide them toward Christ. May we never underestimate their capacity to believe in You and be led by You. Help us to nurture their faith and support them as they sense You leading them to serve. Thank you, Lord. It is in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for spending time with me today. I'm Stephen Tabor, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.