Children have always gotten a bad rap over the years. Whether it’s parents who look down to these future leaders today or Jesus’ disciples who paid more attention to adults in the New Testament, God hears the voice of the youth. Mark 10:13-16 highlights the type of person Jesus is, welcoming little children with open arms. Rather than someone who doesn’t want to be bothered, Jesus wanted to hear what these kids had to say.
When the water in the bottle was all gone, Hagar caused the youth to lie down under one of the shrubs.16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about a bowshot, for she said, Let me not see the death of the lad. And as she sat down opposite him, [d]he lifted up his voice and wept and she raised her voice and wept, Genesis 21:15-16.
The inspiration behind this blog came from the featured passage above. Hagar was no longer welcome in Abraham’s house after Ishmael began taunting Isaac. As the heat of the desert took their toll on Hagar and Ishmael, his mom began to give up hope on life. At this moment of desperation, God steps in to rescue this single mom. Upon hearing the cries of Hagar’s weeping, Ishmael’s life is saved.
And God heard the voice of the youth, and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said to her, What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the youth where he is. 18 Arise, raise up the youth and support him with your hand, for I intend to make him a great nation, Genesis 21:17-18.
Hagar’s cry for help is like God’s promise in Psalm 34:18 to heal the broken hearted and saved those crushed and depressed. Matthew 18:1-6 illustrates how special children are to God. Jesus warns any adult who sets a bad example or causes a child to sin. The fate of this motley crew isn’t pretty. The point of today’s blog is to remind readers that young people are precious in God’s eyes, hearing their voices when they cry out, praying for help.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 