Today is Children’s Day. And school’s out.

As a father of two active (sometimes mischievous) children, ages eight and four, it is a day where my wife and I will squeeze out time to bring them out, so that they can, in turn, squeeze out every ounce of energy in them. And in the process, our kids – yes, our hyperactive kids – do squeeze the energy out of us.

As many would have already known, parenthood is never easy. There are ups and downs, joys and pains, moments that we cherish as well as moments when we are frustrated. As earthly parents, imperfect though we are, we muster what we can to ensure that our children find enjoyment, receive encouragement and grow up in a nurturing environment.

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13)

As an earthly father, one of the most important gifts that I pray that my children will one day receive, is a relationship with my Heavenly Father.

And so, my wife and I seek to build in routines – Sunday school, discipleship group, nightly family devotions – in hopes that one day, they may come to know Him personally.

While I hope that my children would come to know my Heavenly Father’s love through me, Father God often surprises me by speaking to me and shepherding my heart through children – both my own children as well as other children!

For God so loved…

The cross epitomises God’s love for us. Many of us constantly hear and remind ourselves of this truth again and again. However, I do admit that I take it for granted at times. The sense of awe and wonder is not something I always feel.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

During our routine nightly devotions, my wife would usually pick a story from a children’s Bible to read to my daughter, while I would pick a verse for my son to read.

Once, I decided to pick John 3:16.

Truth be told, I picked the verse without giving it much thought. I had simply run out of ideas, and I had assumed that it was probably one of those verses which was easier to understand, since my son would probably have heard it umpteen times during Sunday School. 

As we read the verse, to our surprise, my son asked a really interesting and pertinent question: “God can do everything, right? So why can’t He save us through another way? Why must Jesus die?”

My wife and I would typically have issues urging our hyperactive kids to settle down and focus during our nightly devotions. But once in a while, through the lips of our children, the Lord would surprise us. What I had initially thought was a cliché verse, was brought to life by a question asked by my son.

At that moment, I didn’t really know how to answer him.

I was trying to explain things like sin and sacrificial offerings, but that turned out to be difficult to explain to an eight-year-old. My son’s question, though, did get me to think about it more deeply. As I pondered over John 3:16 later from the angle of his inquisitive mind, it dawned on me.

John 3:16 does not say “For God loved the world”. Rather, it says “For God so loved the world”.

The gravity of our sin necessitates a once-for-all sin offering, so as to deal with it in totality. The power of death necessitates a second Adam to come so that, through another that is fully human, life can swallow death up in finality.

But, for the Father to give his one and only Son, it is much more than all that. It had to be because “God so loved”.

In other words, if God the Father didn’t love us so, things might have been different.

But God doesn’t just love. God is love. Love is His very nature and He cannot be otherwise or He would not be Himself!

God so loves the world and He wants the world to know it. This is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins on the cross.

Perhaps, this was the simple reply that I should have given in response to my son’s simple, yet profound, question.

“Love Lives”

On another occasion, while waiting at a bus stop, I came across another child – an infant lying in a stroller – and I happened to notice something that she was holding in her hand.

Later, I found out that it was something which she had brought along from Sunday School. In her hand was a cross made up of two small ice-cream sticks glued together, and written in marker ink on this rugged makeshift cross were the words “Love Lives”.

Love lives. What an apt, concise, short and sweet presentation of the Gospel.

On the cross, everything died except the fruit of love. Jesus Christ died. With a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. Yet love lived. Yet love triumphed.

Conversely, if our Lord had then chosen to come down from the cross, yes, He would not have died. But love would not have lived! But because love lives in Him, Jesus Christ chose to remain there, till every sin was paid for, till it was finished, till the very end.

Love lives, and it can now similarly live in the hearts of all who believe!

Two simple, yet profound encounters. Not the wisdom of this world, but the curiosity of a child. Not the elaborate musings of an intellect, but a concise two-worder from an infant. Two encounters that speak God’s love loud and clear.

Indeed, praise God for His wisdom, for ordaining things that are simple and simply marvellous, for providing children to point me back to a childlike posture, and in so doing reinstilling in me a sense of awe and wonder about the Father’s love.

This Children’s Day, let us remember that all of us are children of God. And all of us must never lose our childlike faith, for it is in that posture that we will come to a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ, and to truly see and know His love.

To all children and children of God out, Happy Children’s Day!