Last night at our gathering, Josh led the group in a couple of worship songs. I was sitting on the couch next to Brandon and Jeff and my daughter Jonatha was over at the fireplace. I look over during the song and I see my daughter worshipping with some serious passion. I was so blessed at that moment to see her face, filled with energy and love for God. I can't describe it in a way that will communicate clearly what I saw, but it was sweet to take in as a father and I will never forget that moment.
Do you know God delights in the worship of children?
Matthew 19:14, Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." First, I see something very important, a message for adults. It's in the word 'let'. Let the children come to me, Jesus says. How often do adults try to put kids in a worship box and say worship this way or that way because you can't understand worship the way adults understand it. We, as adults, too often doubt our children in their ability to understand our Creator. Second, we must let children come to God, approach him. Children have a level of faith that we have forgotten as adults. They demonstrate this in their faith in their own parents. My kids know if I tell them they are safe, they are safe indeed. They don't doubt, they trust me. With our Father in heaven, children trust in a way that is so pure and vulnerable. They don't allow earthly cares to interfere with their faith and we need to stop suppressing that desire to approach God in their own way. Third, we can't hinder them. How crushing it would have been if I have walked over to my daughter and said, "you shouldn't raise your hands to God yet because you don't really understand why we do that." Maybe she doesn't fully understand the reasoning behind it, but she has seen her daddy do it and she simply wants to worship God the right way. She is motivated by her love for Jesus, not some methodology we have forced on her. Finally, the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. This may be difficult to comprehend, but I believe God has a special place in his heart for little children, even those who have yet to fully grasp sin, death, and faith. I won't pretend to fully understand the age of accountability, but I believe it's there and that God is in control of the eternal destiny of our little ones amongst us. He knows when each person can grasp the elements of faith and he is sovereign in that process. I know my daughter has placed her faith in Jesus for salvation, yet I see my son still grappling with the whole idea. Still, I know Aidan carries a special place in God's heart.
We can learn much from watching our children worship. In fact, we can worship God in observing our children learning and growing in their own personal worship. It's about being drawn to Him and giving him the worth and glory he deserves. That can come in many forms, not just singing, praying, or reading our Bible. Take time today, parent, to observe your children's faith, and learn from it. You may be surprised to find out how far you have to go, too, in your growth as a worshipper.
