Outside of Nazareth, to its northwest, lays the quiet village of Shefar’amr. Home of an ancient Byzantine church and a Knights Templar fortress.
Today Shefar’amr is famous for its ice cream shop, relishing in pistachio, lemon and a sort of mastica-flavored creamy frozen desserts. My taste buds jumped with delight when first introduced to Shefar’amr’s edible fame.
When I first visited my mother-in-law’s sisters and brothers in Shefar’amr, it was a small village windows open to the broad greened fields. Their many children were young. I was a new bride, and customs of the Holy Land were also new to me.
In every home we entered, my spouse and I were hosted and even treated. as honored guests.
At one uncle’s I was asked if I’d like an ice cream. I would indeed. An older child ran upstairs to street level where shops were located and purchased a cup for me.
As I licked my spoon, several pairs of childish eyes watched.
Where I grew up, it would have been considered practically a sin to eat such a treat without giving any to the children. My heart hurt.
Moments later, my purse opened with my heart and I went up to the street myself and bought each child also a cup of ice cream.
During the time of Lord Jesus’ ministry on Earth, He gave blessings and worked miracles for adults and children. At times, children were deliberately kept away by His disciples.
But The Lord insisted, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)
The blessings, gifts, and even the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to children. They should not be hindered from knowing The Lord. To keep them away from the knowledge of God, The Word, is to keep them from The Lord. It is wrong.
In 1962 the U. S. Supreme Court ruled prayer unconstitutional in public schools. In 1963, they kicked out the Bible.
Our children are no longer taught how to come to God, to speak with Him, neither are they taught the knowledge of God nor to respect Him.
This is sin as a society and its repercussions are being felt today.
Lord Jesus prophesied what would come in the last days, "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.” (Mark 13:12)
Without reverence of God, there is no value of life.
Parents, are you doing what Lord Jesus wants you to do? Leading your children in prayer to The Savior and giving them the knowledge of Him through regular Bible reading?
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance!” (Psalm 33:12)
(C) 2020 Kelly Jadon