"....and do not hinder them from coming to Me...."

Something really amazing happened yesterday at church. Something that will forever change the way I view young children and their relationship (or lack thereof) with God. I have always believed and known that children can have a walk with God, but until I experienced that personally, witnessing my own children trust in Jesus, that reality seemed somewhat distant.

Dori and Micah have both professed faith in Christ and both regularly acknowledge God speaking to them, whether through something they learn in Sunday School, reading or having the Bible read to them, or some other way. It is absolutely wonderful and fascinating to watch your own children "get" Biblical concepts or insights....many times deep things that even adults will miss (myself included).

So it shouldn't have surprised me as much as it did yesterday, when I glanced down from my perch on stage behind the keyboard to see my son Micah (6) walking forward in front of 1100 people and make his way to the steps to pray to God. This was during the response time, at the end of the pastor's message when folks who need or want to will come forward to a waiting minister, and to be dealt with by God. There is nothing magical about this time and people certainly don't need an invitation per se to respond to God. But it is a helpful tool to aid those who need spiritual help and may not know "what's next."

Back to Micah. So sometimes, people will kneel at the front steps of the stage to pray for a time while others are speaking/praying with ministers. But to see my 6 year old son go down front and spend time with God there......wow. It was hard to hold back the tears that were almost overflowing. We haven't ever even really mentioned "the alter" or talked about what people are doing there. In fact, I'm sure we haven't. Micah told me later it was "something he felt like he needed to do." I won't disclose what he told me he prayed about, but it was something very real that we have been facing in our family and something that brought me to my own knees when he told me.

In typical Micah fashion, as soon as he returned to his seat, he high-fived Dori! According to Dori, she noticed Micah looking like he wanted to go down front and pray and so she leaned over and whispered "you can go if you want....."

Jason and I have almost *always* been busy during church services and for the most part the children have had to fend for themselves. When J was pastoring, he was of course preaching. I am usually behind a piano or keyboard. So it is especially sweet that my children are helping each other grow closer to God and be sensitive to the moving of His Spirit. I pray this never ceases and only grow stronger.

This verse comes to mind from Matthew 19: "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Emphasis mine.