"Children Are My Thing"

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God..." (1 John 3:1)



"Children are my thing."



This was the opening line of a devotional given by Marcia Griffin at a recent session meeting. Her comment was not news to most of us. Marcia has taken delight in children for most of her life. She has been an advocate for children, a teacher, a director of children's ministry and a mother. Throughout her adult life, Marcia has poured her life into children.



As Marcia continued with her devotional, I was struck by the fact that her opening words were not hers alone, but God's. Jesus could just as easily have said, "Children are my thing." When they tried to gain access to Him, Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." He went on to say that people who wanted to follow Him needed to enter the kingdom like a child.

During this Christmas season, we are reminded that God did not reveal Himself to the world in all of His glory, but instead, came to this earth in the form of a child. The first glimple of the incarnation was a baby. The infant grew up to become a boy. And so God's first fleshly revelation was that of a child.

May we be reminded of the importance of children to our congregation. We are here to protect them, to nurture them in their faith and to love them as God loves us. We are here to provide opportunities for them to encounter their Heavenly Father.

In the same way, children teach us. They remind us of the wonder of childhood. They teach us to be curious and perhaps a little mischievous. They give us hope for the future. They model for us the childlike spirit Christ commended to His followers.

Marcia told of an experience at the installation service for the new pastor at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church of Newport Beach. During the service a brief video clip showed the world's greatest preachers including some familiar faces. The video ended with a 3-year old singing, "Jesus Loves Me." What a wonderful reminder that the simplicity of the gospel is often best expressed in the face and voice of a child.

It is my hope that we will continue to love our children this holiday season. Come to the Children's Christmas Pageant during worhip on Sunday, December 13th at 10:00 a.m. Support these little ones. It may not be the most professional production in town, but it will be presented by the children of this church and that's a good enough reason to come.

Marcia Griffin said, "Children are my thing." And in saying that, she reminds all of us, that children are God's thing, as well. I hope that we, as a church family, can say, "Children are our thing." Celebrate children this Christmas season. Love them and support them. Cultivate childlike qualities in yourself. And worship the Christ Child this holiday. O Come, Let Us Adore Him.

May God richly bless us even as He blesses others through us!

In His love & Service,

Lance