21 May 2016 - like little ones

 [ Today's Readings ]

“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it.”

We need to come to Jesus like children. One thing which children can do which is harder for jaded adults is to believe in the power of prayer.

The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.

Prayer itself brings us before Jesus like children so that he can embrace us and bless us. It can bring the people for whom we pray to Jesus like children so that he can embrace them. It takes many forms. If we are in good spirits we go to him to celebrate with songs of praise. If we are sick we go to him for healing. If we do something wrong we go to him for mercy.

Children don't have to make a big leap between their own parents whom they believe can fix almost any problem and the Father in heaven for whom no problem is too great. They trust not only in the power of Jesus but especially in his love. They are not yet so wounded by the world that they forget how to cry 'Abba, Father!'

This is the model that Jesus gives us. He sends his Spirit into our hearts to make us sons of the Father. He repairs the damage done by the world so that we can begin to trust again.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him (see Romans 8:15-17).

Our prayers are meant to rise before the LORD like sweet smelling incense. But we are so jaded that we don't really believe that he can help us. Even if we believe that he can we don't often believe that it is what he wants.

Let's ask Jesus to send his Spirit into our hearts to make us like children. And not just any children, but children of the Father who loves us more than words can describe. Then we discover that our prayer becomes powerful blessed by Jesus in his embrace.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are (see First John 3:1)