When my grandson was five years old, he asked a lot of questions about God. Eventually we prayed together, and he asked Jesus to come into his heart. After saying Amen, my grandson looked up with wide eyes and announced, “He was already there!”

It brought tears to my eyes as I imagined my grandson being lifted onto Jesus’ lap, and Jesus’ placing his hands on him and blessing him. Jesus intentionally invited and welcomed children into his covenant family, and I do believe he is “already there” in a child’s heart through the prayers of his parents and grandparents.

Isn’t it striking that the very Son of God, the Creator of the universe, did not consider himself too busy or too divine to visit with energetic and blunt-speaking children? He did not rebuke them, as his disciples did, but instead he held them up as role models for pure faith. Jesus taught adults to be as trusting and humble as little children, and to learn from them.

As adults, we’ve seen more brokenness, sin, heartache, and hurt than many children have seen. So our faith can be rocked as we face challenges and as we take dangerous detours. But Jesus invites us to sit at his feet, accept his forgiveness, receive his blessing, and realize that he is always with us, just as he promised (Matthew 28:20).