Luke 18:15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Often we fail to connect words of Jesus to the actions and reactions which surround them. Luke 18 is full of principles about prayer. It begins with this introduction: And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. Jesus goes on to tell about the persistent woman who kept crying out to the judge until he gave her justice; we need to persist that way in prayer. In the next scene, He compares and contrasts the Pharisee who snobbishly brags on himself to the tax collector who beats on his chest and cries out to God for mercy; we need to be like the latter. Next, we find children crying because the disciples were keeping them away from Jesus, until Jesus commands them to let them come. Then, the rich young ruler comes asking what he can do to receive eternal life, but never willing to ask for help to do what he cannot; we need to realize that we must ask in faith, not just do the right things. After that Jesus repeats the announcement of HIs impending death, but rather than asking for clarification, they remain confused. Finally, a blind man cries out to Jesus to be healed, annoying everyone around him, but that is exactly what Jesus wants from all of us; Jesus joyfully did so.
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