WE MUST BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN.
By J. M. Gallenmore
“Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:16. The above language is supposed by very many to teach that all little children who die such will go to heaven. This may be so, and it may not be so. The Bible does not say anything upon this point; and what the Bible is silent upon, men also had as well be silent upon. The Bible does say of little children, “Of such is the kingdom of God.” It also says, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 18:3. Now what is this language designed to teach? We believe it is this: faith and trust in our heavenly Father. The little child trusts its earthly parent; it knows its parent is ever mindful of it, and will administer to all its wants. It feels its own inefficiency, and trusts not in itself; but depends upon one more capable and powerful. It takes no thought of what it shall eat or wear, knowing that it has a parent who will provide all these; and if it feels that it has wants, it lays those wants before that parent in whom it has all faith—in whom it confidingly trusts. Just so must and will the Christian feel toward his heavenly Parent. He feels the same helplessness and dependence upon his heavenly Father that children feel, and has the same faith and trust in him that children have in an earthly parent. If we have the evidence that we are God's children, then why take such thought for food, raiment, etc., as we often do? Will not God care for his own? Most certainly he will. No good thing, we are told, will be withheld from them. Also, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” If earthly parents, “being evil, know how to give good gifts unto their children, how much more shall our Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” The Christian lays hold on these promises, and trusts them, as the child does the promises of a kind earthly parent. How appropriate, then, are the words, “Seek first the kingdom,” etc. If we have the evidence that we are God's children, and heirs to the kingdom, all is well. We have his care, his help, which is more than all the world can give, and where is the use of taking thought for the things of the world? Our work is to go forward in the discharge of duty, act our part, and leave the balance to God, who will most certainly discharge his part. The man who trusts in an arm of flesh is cursed, (Jer. 17:5,) while the man who makes the Lord his trust is blessed. Jer. 17:7. The man who attempts the battles of life without the help of the Lord is sure of a failure, in the end. Why attempt such a task in our own feeble strength, when we may have the help of the Lord? Men are foolish enough to attempt such a task in their own strength, but ah! how very foolish! It is worse than the man who built his house upon the sand. We want God's help. We may have it. We want more faith in God and his word. This we may obtain. May the Lord increase the faith of his trusting children. J. M. GALLENMORE.