Children and Jesus.

Hello,
It's a Wednesday afternoon, and I sit here with the children as they work on their school.
Sounds very prim and proper! But in reality, I'm calling out to my 2 yr old, to determine what
she is up to-It's very quiet, and that could mean trouble! My 5 yr old, 7 yr old and 10 yr old are
writing and arguing about which restaurants are better....They're multi-tasking, if I want to look
at it in a positive light?!! And my 17 yr old is in a good mood today! Let's just be content with
it, shall we!!!
It's a week of Revival at our church. Not sure how I feel about Revival....especially when it's held twice a year!! That's a lot
of pressure to go forward! But really, how many times can a poor soul walk the aisle to please a
preacher!!? It's about the heart, and yes! the heart can be pricked and repentant during a revival,
for that matter during a Sunday sermon, or a weds night choir rehearsal. My heart actually is moved
on a daily basis. Sometimes because I mess up and I can just feel it!! Like a worm in an apple....gotta throw it out.
I will say this, though, getting back to Revival. My middle daughter went forward for the first time
and will be baptized tonight! Can't complain! Here's how I look at children's baptism: Kids
are going to have a very limited understanding of what exactly they're getting into....but maybe that's the
magic purity of it? It's simply because they love Jesus! They see Him, and they want to be with Him.
Just like the children who followed Him in the gospels. Jesus scolded His disciples when they attempted
to shoo the babes away. "SO, Let the children come to Me", he said. So I will. Now, I believe the LORD
holds onto His little ones, and when they're older they'll know more about messing up and asking for mercy. But for now, my heart is glad :) My 5 yr old wants to go forward too, but there is an age limit to baptism in our congregation. It's quite funny, because this particular child is more "on fire" than any of us in the family!!
I'm already assured of His love for God.
A reformed church that I sometimes visit believes in infant sprinkling, and that's also how they baptize new believers. By sprinkling. Now, I'm actually ok with that! If baptism doesn't save you, and it's plain old water not meant to cleanse you, but to symbolize our identification with Jesus' death and resurrection. Then why does it matter if we're completely submerged? It's an outward show of what God is doing on the inside of us.
There! I just solved a huge theological debate!! No more denominational quarrels in this area, please!
As far as the infant sprinkling goes, they explain it this way: the father is the head of the home, so when he joins a church and becomes a believer, his entire family is to follow in like faith....I like that! Sounds like a healthy family dynamic. And it's the way God intended the family to function....but that subject is for another time and blog :)
I attend a baptist church, so I guess i could be considered a "rebel" for agreeing with reformed theology....Oh well!
Back to my children....It's my job to pray for them now, and guide them, and set an example (ugh!-the hardest part) because I have been entrusted with their nurturing. God will keep them, of that I am sure. And He will pursue them if they stray. I don't think I'm responsible for their eternal security, but why would i load the baggage on and give them more to battle as adults??? Besides, if Jesus has spoken to me about an area of my life, I'm already working on it for that reason. And I hope the kids will at least pick up on my sensitivity to God's voice and my willingness to follow. Whenever I see a trait of mine in them, i cringe! oh! Please don't let them be chained down with the attitudes that I have exhibited!!!
Amen!