Images of Joy

A friend of my parents sent these prints to us a couple of months ago. I really love them. They've just been sitting on the hutch in the hallway until I figure out where to hang them. The other day for what must have been the first time, Emma noticed them. She stopped in her tracks, picked up one of the pictures and smiled. "Look Mommy, it's Jesus with my baby brother Jairus!"

The drawings (which I do not know the origin of, though I'm sure we could figure it out via Google if it matters) are a grateful reminder to me of a few things:

1. My Jairus is safe and happy in Heaven. Heaven is a real, physical place where Christ reigns and where those who love Him will live with Him and celebrate Him forever. It's a place without skinned knees or sore tummy's. A place of no more tears or worries. Where things are as they were always meant to be. 

2. Jesus is a Man of Sorrows, acquainted with grief. AND He is also a God-man of joy and laughter. All good things are from the Lord, and that must include smiles and giggles, first steps and hugs. 

3. Jesus LOVES children. All children. For each is made in His image and was knit together in His love. The Bible is very clear on this point. Jesus enjoyed children, spent time playing with them and laughing with them. He healed sick children and even raised at least a couple (that we know of) from the dead. Jesus even told adults that we need to be more like children, to have a pure and honest faith like they do. The Jesus Storybook Bible tells it this way:

...You see, children loved Jesus, and they knew they didn't need to do anything special for Jesus to love them. All they needed to do was run into his arms. And so that's just what they did. Well, after all the laughing and games, Jesus turned to his helpers and said, "No matter how big you grow, never grow up so much that you lose your child's heart: full of trust in God. Be like these children. They are the most important in my kingdom."

And because I know that my Lord is good, and that He loves my son, I know that He is taking great care of him. Now and always. And that makes me smile.