THE CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES

It has been remarked that the Scriptures show how God makes use of persons who are already active in some useful way. You could readily think of examples of this in young persons such as Gideon who was preparing wheat for food, Ruth who was gleaning day after day in the fields and David the shepherd lad.

It is interesting too that even children, happily engaged in some useful task, have been called into God's service. Miriam, about twelve years of age, was keeping vigil over her younger brother, later called Moses, when he was put into an ark by the river sedge. It appears to have been her own idea to keep watch in this way, and she was able thus to arrange for the child to be protected in dangerous times. Having cared for just one of God's little ones it was given to her to have a share in caring for perhaps two million of His people. Many years later Scripture recorded that "I sent before thee Moses, Aaron and Miriam".

Of the child Samuel we are told that he served in ways taught him by the priest. One of his regular tasks was to open the doors of the temple-house so that persons might enter to worship God. From these beginnings Samuel, still quite young, was entrusted with a message from God to His beloved but unresponsive people. Oh, that more children would grow up to cause others to seek after God and to receive His word, especially now that He has become known in and through the Lord Jesus Christ!

Josiah, who became a king at the age of eight years, was active, as he grew up, in things that were right in the sight of Jehovah, his God. He is a wonderful example for young and old. As a reward he was let into further secrets of God's mind and caused the temple to be restored. That building was a material one made of stone; God's house now is not made with hands" but consists of believers having His Spirit and serving Him in love. Do you desire to do so?

J.C.Evershed