President's Perspective
“And a Little Child shall lead them….” Isaiah 11:6
James S. EaglesThe theme of our latest Mission Gateway magazine is about the most vulnerable among us. Children. From God’s point of view in Scripture, children are “a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” Psalm 127:3.
We often think of childhood as being a time of growing, learning, developing… and it is. And we also perceive children as being the weakest among us, needing our protection and training, and this is true—they do.
But it’s also remarkable that the same scriptures teach us, that God’s “strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). And this amazing truth is evidenced in the life of our Emmanuel, when God became “with us,” first as a baby! He could have just appeared as a Man. But he chose to come to us as the weakest of all—a baby. From the time that this baby was born till today, the world has never been the same! Isaiah’s prophecy came true for all time, through the birth, life, death and resurrection of that child of Bethlehem.
Whether it was our Lord Jesus, as a child, or David, or Samuel, or Joseph, the Scriptures are full of the truth that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. And he often has chosen children to demonstrate this.
In 1974, on a cold December night on the east end of Toronto, God used the visitation of a young child at my door to change my life forever. In the latest Mission Gateway (elsewhere on this website) you can read the story of how God used this angelic visitor to speak to me on behalf of suffering children throughout the world. Then again in 2006, 32 years later, God interceded to impress upon me some of the depths of His love for all children.
Whenever God intercedes, He is interceding for all of us. His Message and Spirit of intercession affect both those who go to minister, those who stay behind to support and pray and those who receive the fruits of His intercession. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14) and “Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me” (Matt. 18:5).
Christians in Canada through Intercede International currently minister in differing degrees in the lives of more than 10,000 children being ministered to by 54 ministries we partner with in more than 50 nations of the world.
In the pages of this issue you will hear the stories and see the faces of some of His little ones. They are dear and precious to our Saviour’s heart. He desires that they should grow and be fulfilled and grow to know Him and His love for them. And that’s where you and I come in. Everyone can sponsor a child or send a gift and say a prayer to minister to one of these little ones. Many of you reading this are already doing just that. By praying, and by supporting indigenous ministries that reach out with Christ’s love to young children, they are and you are, fulfilling the Lord’s challenge to receive them—and in doing so He says, we actually are receiving Him.
Like the babe in the manger, who can tell how the Lord of the Universe will one day use each one of these needy children helped by compassionate Christians here in Canada. One day, we will know, even as we are now known, and He who was once a little child shall lead us all.
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