"Suffer the little children to come unto me."--_Mark 10:14._
AFTER His Transfiguration, our Lord Jesus often told His apostles that
He was going to be taken by the chief priests at Jerusalem, and that
He should be ill-used, and beaten, and spit upon, and put to death on
a cross; and that the third day He should rise again. But they never
could understand how this would be, for they had never heard of rising
from the dead; and they were so sure that He was Christ, and that
Christ would be a great King, that they never understood or believed
that He was to die.
[Illustration: THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS THE BEGGAR.--Luke 16:19-21.]
And sometimes they even disputed among themselves who would be first
and greatest in His kingdom. When they did this our Lord called a
little child, and took him, and set him in the midst, and said that the
greatest in His kingdom would be the most like that little child; for
only those who are ready to be last here can be high up there.
[Illustration: "SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME."--Mark 10:14.]
The Lord loved little children. Once, when the mothers were bringing
their babies for Him to touch, the disciples wanted to keep them away;
but He said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid
them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
And then He took the little ones up in His arms, and put His hands on
them, and blessed them. And just so He embraces and blesses the little
children we bring to Him in church, though we cannot see Him now; and
He is always glad to hear them pray.