ADVENT HOPE AND CHILDREN
Curious how God connects the thoughts of His children. Take for example the theme for today’s post.
The other morning, while sipping a cup of hot coffee, I thought about Advent and hope.
HOPE! How does one write about hope during this first week of Advent when the world is filled with so much hopelessness? My mind turned to the four University of Idaho students who only a few days ago, less than 100 miles from our home, were murdered brutally. I cannot even imagine the pain of dashed hopes for the parents of these beautiful, vibrant young adults.
While I considered this conundrum, I also scrolled through Facebook and read a post from a lovely woman I met several years ago. I reached out to Rhonda, and she gave me permission to share some of the words she feels were given by the God of Hope as she lamented while watching the morning news.
Here’s the message Rhonda expressed so eloquently:
The world is so much! Too intense and overwhelming! I was thinking about how Jesus can know and see it all, all the time. So much evil everywhere, constant!
AND, Jesus also sees every act of kindness, all those who give to others without notice, all those who love without boundaries. So, I ask, “How can I be more like You, Jesus, when evil seems to envelope the light, and I don’t know how to fight it?’”
I hear Jesus say, ‘”Don’t worry about fighting. Leave that to Me. Instead, tell the little children about me. Sing to them, songs like, Jesus Loves Me and This Little Light of Mine. Pray with them. Pray for them. Teach them stories about me. Show them how to be kind and generous. Be like Me to them.”
I replied to Jesus, I CAN DO THAT. YES, I WILL DO THAT.
Thank you so much, Rhonda. In conclusion, I ask you, my reader friends, to join me in considering:
Who are those children with whom your life intersects?
How can you be like Jesus to them this season of Advent?
As I asked myself these questions, my thoughts turned to last Saturday when Ron and I cheered on our first-grade grandson, Reeve, and his teammates during their basketball game. Considering today’s thoughts, even an event like a little boys’ sporting event adds a new perspective to the potential significance of each interaction I have with every child!
May we be like Jesus who valued and welcomed little children,
