Glimpses of Glory for


Young Pilgrims by Jackie Weiss


If you have ever parented a child, you know that night-time can be scary for them. Kids may be afraid of the dark or see monsters in a closet. Tey might cower under the covers during a thunder- storm or become anxious over a nightmare.


In many ways our world is a dark place, especially now with


the coronavirus crisis that has brought disruption and uncer- tainties. Children can be confused and anxious. But this storm provides a great opportunity to teach them where their true and secure home is.


Once upon a time, Heaven was a favorite topic of Christians.


But over the last half-century, it seems we only think of God’s Kingdom as some vague reward at the end of our journey. We have become so comfortable here that we don’t long for there. Our failure to set our mind on things above has impacted our children. In fact, imaginary kingdoms created by Hollywood are more real to many saved kids than the Kingdom of God. But those fairy tales will never help a child when the world at large — or his own world — is in trouble.


Tey must know we are not citizens here but sojourners, that


we belong to a real, but invisible Kingdom. A heavenly mindset can strengthen them in any storm like it did for Elisha’s servant.


Te Syrian king was enraged that Elisha was warning the


Israelites about his military plans, so he sent an army aſter him. During the night, soldiers surrounded the city where Elisha was. Te next morning when Elisha’s servant saw the army, he was terrified. Elisha said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). Ten Eli- sha prayed, and God opened the servant’s eyes to see the angelic host that God had sent to protect them.


No matter what happens in our kids’ lives, if they can see the


invisible, they can have not only peace but courage and joy. Tis was Paul’s answer as he looked “at the things that are unseen” (2 Cor. 4:18). Tis was the testimony of the heroes in Hebrews 11 who saw and welcomed invisible promises, especially of Moses who “endured as seeing him who is invisible” (Heb. 11:27).


Stowell noted that, “A heaven dimly lit results in a life poorly lived.”1


In Eternity, Reclaiming a Passion for What Endures, Joseph We need to shed light on Heaven for our kids. We do this


through constant exposure to the Word of God and to the consis- tent example of parents who make Kingdom choices. But we also just need to talk more about Heaven.


When I was a child, my mother would oſten point to a beau-


tiful sky and say, “Look at that! It looks like Jesus could come any moment!” Her words ignited an anticipation for eternity in me.


Are you driving past a cemetery or stopping for a funeral


1 Joseph Stowell, Eternity: Reclaiming a Passion for What Endures, (Moody Press, Chicago,1995), p. 113..


procession? It’s a natural opportunity to talk about death and what that means for a believer.


You might ask children which Bible character they want


to meet in Heaven. Maybe they’d like to hear from Daniel about those lions or ask Adam how he ever thought of all those animal names.


You can try to answer some questions they have, like what


we will do there. (We won’t sit around on clouds strumming harps!) We will worship and sing. We’ll have meaningful work and amazing friendships. Perhaps we can explore the universe. We can be sure that the God who made earth such an interesting place will have all sorts of adventures for us in eternity.


Children oſten ask if their pets will be there. Tere is no


promise about that, but we know the Creator loves animals and will include them in the Millennial Kingdom. Joni Eareckson Tada wrote, “If God brings our pets back to life, it wouldn’t sur- prise me. It would be just like Him. It would be totally in keeping with His generous character.”2


We can also turn up the volume of Heaven by reading Little


Pilgrim’s Progress or Te Chronicles of Narnia with them or Max Lucado’s beautiful picture book, Coming Home.


Songs about Heaven can also whet their appetite, but I won-


der if kids today know many. We can pull out a hymnal and teach them “What If It Were Today?” or “My Savior First of All.”


Inspiring quotes about Heaven can be discussed in family


devotions or placed on a chalkboard. Many in my generation grew up in homes with a little plaque that read, “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” Great truths said simply and frequently are powerful.


If we want to prepare our children to live bravely in the


darkness of this world, let’s help them see the invisible kingdom to which we already belong. Let’s give glimpses of glory to young pilgrims!


Jackie Weiss was the CEF of Omaha director for 14 years, training workers and overseeing children’s ministries. She and her husband, Wes, live in Omaha, Neb., and are part of Crosspoint Bible Church.


2 Joni Eareckson Tada, Holiness in Hidden Places, ( J. Countryman, a Divison of Tomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, 1999), p. 125.


Fellowship Focus, May/June 2020 23


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