I love the way my daughter invites me
into the Kingdom of God here,
while I’m still on earth.
When she focuses all the sweetness of her presence
on the tiniest detail of life …
I would have missed
the most important part.
I’m pretty sure her joy
is His,
utterly contagious …
When she inhales a gulp of pine tree bliss,
I can breathe
in
a little more deeply too …
that fresh air,
awe and wonder,
that glorious spirit of childhood …
I almost forgot
the proximity of grace
one step beyond
my physical senses …
When her lips curl into a crooked half smile
and her eyes glimmer like the moon …
When by the grace of pure innocence,
she lures me
into the Divine beauty
of this moment
once and for all,
where angels have been waiting patiently
for me to realize
this beautiful gift of Life,
this thin veil
that is opening right now,
always …
Even when she cries at the worst possible time …
when she leads me through the exhausting maze
of pouring out more love than I have to give,
something deep and still
in my soul
knows
she’s guiding me
on a sacred, narrow road –
helping me let go of what I don’t need,
teaching me to claim what’s essential …
here and now,
drawing my awareness into the Higher Love
that invites us to live fully
forever.
Matthew 19 13-15: “Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.”
What was it about kids that caused Jesus to say “The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Was it their innocence? their vulnerability? their capacity for love? their ability to experience joy? Or the simple fact that they are His beloved creations like the rest of us?
With all of our other responsibilities and goals, it is easy to fall into the trap of the disciples, thinking there are more important things to do than bring our children to Christ.
But really, are there? What could be more important than blessing the special children in our lives by keeping them safe, praying for them and showing them love?
How do you think we can we look at the time we spend with our children in a more spiritual way? What gifts from God do our children bring into our lives? In their joy, free spiritedness and even in their needfulness and struggles … how can our kids help us grow closer to Christ? Comment below, and I’ll be delighted to keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Lord help us to value the children in our lives like You do. Help us to see them through your unconditionally loving eyes. Help us to see the journey of parenthood as being a sacred opportunity for spiritual growth, rather than a burden holding us back from more important things. Bless our children, and help us to be better parents every day. Guide the choices we make on our children’s behalf, and be with them always. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
written by Nicky Gant for http://www.uniteinprayer.org 6/2/2019