Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/markthall

Friday, February 12, 2010

The Summer of 76

It was a warm sunny day in early July, 1976. I was sitting in our almost new forest green American Motors Sportabout station wagon with our three children. Tami was seven years old, Jeremy four and Jess was 18 months of age. Our small station wagon was packed to the rafters with everything required to survive yet another summer in a university residence apartment. We had repeated this summer adventure for the previous six years. The number of dependents kept growing throughout those years. Lozanne returned to the car, after receiving laboratory results, to announce with her usual good humour that the next summer there would be four young ones in the car, should we choose to go to summer school again. I immediately tried to imagine where the fourth would fit into our present vehicle and drew a blank. Strangely enough, Josh fit in just fine the following summer.

We proceeded to drive the distance to Laurentian University where my principal’s certificate awaited after six weeks of classes. The weather that summer was very wet and cool. There were other young families present in the residence as well. The kids had the run of the campus and enjoyed a great summer. I will always remember young children and toddlers running joyfully through the library making just a little too much noise. No one, including the librarian, seemed to notice or care. It was the summer of the 1976 Montreal Olympics and the Russian athletes were sequestered at Laurentian University and were often seen working out on the outdoor track and fields nearby. The USSR was very communist at the time and there was always the fear that some of their athletes may try to defect. We often walked the kids down to the track facility to watch the amazing athletic ability of the Olympic competitors. We were very welcome to do so…from a distance. I don’t know whether to call them KGB agents, security police or just bodyguards, but there was definitely a rather menacing line of them to stop any adult from approaching the athletes. When the action had slowed down; however, small children were allowed to mingle amongst the friendly young Russian competitors. On several occasions we watched the kids interact on the field with the athletes while we adults in turn were watched equally as carefully.

As I remember these events, I am reminded of a scene in the Bible where children were initially not welcomed but turned back. This description is found in the Book of Mark 10: 13-16.

13 ¶ Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."
16 And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them.

Jesus was not happy at all with His disciples for not allowing the little children to come to him. Their parents had, in faith, brought the children to Jesus so that he could bless them. Jesus then tells us one of the great truths of His good news. In order to enter into the kingdom of God, we all, no matter our age, must receive our salvation with the innocence, wonder and awe of a child. I have also realized through this scripture selection this morning the importance of allowing children exposure to Jesus while their minds are so ready to learn and receive the great truths of the gospel. There is an admonition to all parents within this selection. Jesus is telling us of the importance of introducing the wonders of the gospel to children from the earliest possible moment. Verse 16 is one of the most beautifully descriptive snapshots in the Bible. What a blessing those children received!

(Comments, corrections, suggestions or rebuttals are welcome. My email link is contained in “About me: view my complete profile” to the right of this page or use the comment section below which requires that you have a Google account.)

No comments:

Post a Comment