Real Life by Peggi Tustan

Welcome to Real Life . How do I feel about children? Are they important to me? Optional? A waste of my precious time? How does God feel about children? Let's look at Jesus’ blessing of the children from another perspective. Lately, it seems like my primary responsibility is crowd control. This is not what I signed up for when I decided to follow Jesus. But, I don’t mind. I don’t blame the crowds for coming to catch a glimpse of Jesus. I never know what remarkable thing he’ll do next. Give sight to the blind? Make paralyzed limbs move again? Restore the putrid skin of a leper? I even saw Jesus raise a dead man. For three days, his friend Lazarus lay decomposing in a tomb until the Lord called his name. Then Lazarus came wobbling out, still bound up in burial clothes. I almost fainted! Who, but God, can do that? No, I don’t blame people for coming. However, a few days ago, parents started bringing their children to Jesus to be blessed. With everything the rabbi has to do and teach...

Welcome to Real Life. How does age affect our image of God? Are you ever too young to believe? Or, too old? Cal as a toddler “I want to go to heaven.” My three-year-old son Calvin told me one Sunday morning after church. "Why?" I asked. "I want to go to heaven to be with Jesus," he answered. ~~~~~ Parents brought their children to Jesus so that he could lay his hands on them and bless them. The disciples were annoyed. They thought the parents were wasting Jesus’ time and told them to leave. When Jesus saw what was happening, he said to the disciples, "Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." Then, Jesus took the children into his arms and blessed them. ~~~~~ Sometimes, when people hear that my son prayed and invited Jesus into his heart at age three, they a...

Welcome to Real Life . Hope. It’s priceless. Without it, I feel lost, helpless, and defeated. I've been there — hopeless. Where do I find the strength to go on when hope is gone?  The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, 'O God, forgive me,' or 'Help me.' – Billy Graham Jairus, a synagogue ruler, falls at Jesus’ feet and pleads, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” Jesus agrees to accompany Jairus to his house. A throng follows, pressing in and jostling them as they go. Hidden within the crowd is a woman. She’s suffered twelve years from a bleeding disorder. She’s exhausted her savings on physicians. Nothing has helped. Hope is gone … until she hears of Jesus’ miracles. “If I can just touch his clothes, I’ll be healed.” She pushes through the crowd and touches him. Immediately, she feels it. The blee...