Dunbar UCC

April 26, 2009

Psalm 78:1-8

Matthew 19:13-15

Owning Heaven

My favorite Sundays here are when there are a lot of children.  You can feel their energy.  When they're here, its like drinking a pot of strong coffee.  Maybe because the life is still so fresh, so new, in them.    When Daniel and Mary Braen come in the church, I brace myself as they come charging down the isle to say hello and give a hug.  Adults don't do that -- we lose some of our enthusiasm and energy.

That's one of the sad things of aging -- we lose some of our joy and sense of awe.

      But Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is always new, and alive.    When were there, everything's -- AMAZING! 

Sometimes after worship when we all go downstairs, watch the children -- they're doing cartwheels, throwing toys, running to grab a cookie, running back, hurling trucks and busses across the floor -- and if those fast-moving objects hit something, like the metal floorboards that make a loud sound, that's great!

      If something crashes or breaks or explodes -- WOW!  HOW COOL!

      But we adults go crazy.  STOP!, we yell.  STOP CRASHING THAT TRUCK INTO THE WALL!  Which only makes things more exciting for the child.  They think, Gee -- now the car is crashing, AND mommy and daddy are out of control too!  Wow!

Jesus said the kingdom of heaven belongs to the children -- to the child-like.

      He also said, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

      In other words, the meek and child-like have everything -- heaven, and earth.

      Like the child who loves and needs their parent -- who trusts their parent completely -- that's the way Jesus said we need to be toward God.

                If we need God -- if we need Jesus Christ -- as much as our children need us -- then we don't have to worry about anything else -- everything will work out fine.  The person who trusts God as absolutely as a child trusts their parent knows that the words of the hymn are true, they know that He's got the whole world in his hands.