Unless you become as a child you will never enter into the Kingdom of God  – Matthew 18:3

My first memories are when I was four or five.  I have considerable access to photographs and some of these early one’s may have influenced what I actually remember.  I believe this was minimal although this is so unlike what my grandchildren already experience when watching high-definition videos of themselves immediately after birth.   I distinctly remember being at home with my mother as my older brother was at school.  I started first grade at the age of five, so that is my reverence point.   Children at this age and younger are filled with hope and life, generally, as there may be exceptions, but the innocence in which we are born is sheltered by Angels according to Matthew 18:10, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my father in heaven”.

Without explaining what and who are angels and the importance of them beholding the face of the Father in heaven, this statement by Yeshua (Jesus’ Hebrew name) is compelling due to the fact that little ones have angels assigned to them.  This concept is generally accepted in many fables, myths, and legends as established by the term “Guardian Angel”. We have countless stories of little children being saved or preserved from fire, tornado’s, wild animals, and a multitude of disasters that are totally beyond explanation.  Of course, they are not always saved, but in my own experience I believe there were times and circumstances that, but for the grace of God I would have been killed or maimed or lost.  I attributed this to the above scripture once I found it, but it is quite indefensible and simply a statement of faith.

Little children just want to play and play they will, irrespective of the circumstances or the toys at their disposal or lack thereof.  Yeshua loved the little children and gave them an open place at the front of the lines waiting to see Him.  I have seen this freedom of imagination in the Mexican Colonia’s where there is nothing but mud in the roads and small shacks for dwellings, yet children are playing and enjoying life, life in its simplicity and singularity.  This joy, energy, and life was my experience as well, perhaps you can relate to this in one fashion or at some time.  To children the world is large and amazing, they are growing and filled with the hope that each new day will bring more play and fun.

I remember as a small child believing in God.  I can not account for this although my family did attend church where Bible stories were told to the children.  This believing was not very well-developed and my concept of God was very basic, but I knew Him to be the creator of all and bigger than all.  I remember also that He was the judge of right and wrong, even if I did not know myself the differences, I knew Him to be the final authority and the one to whom we all had to answer.  I can only recall one scripture reference that I knew at this very small age, that God was coming back to earth with judgment to follow.  Our church had to be the source of this, but the fact that I perceived it or believed it at such an early age is unexplainable.

In church I laid my head down on my mother’s lap and slept and I did this as long as I could get away with it.  I loved my mother and she loved me, what a wonderful time of peace sleeping or resting in her lap.  Eventually, this was no longer tolerated, so I had to sit up and lean on her shoulder as I rested or slept in church.  Our church was one that gave considerable place and priority to the reading of scripture and this was commendable. So, with an understanding of this unpredictable return of God to His creation to judge all things, and a corresponding fear of Him, I remember making an agreement with God that if He would take it easy on me I would be good, and perhaps he could give me a heads up before He arrived at my locale.  I sincerely wanted to be good, whatever that meant to a small child.  I believe God accepts the prayers of little children and goes beyond the limited expression to the heart which He formed before we were born.  He knows all things and the beginning from the end.