Children are "ordained" to praise God.

Yesterday, during Ollie's rest time, she was listening to the radio. When she came out of her room she was beaming and told me she had heard about a music camp on the radio and she wanted to go. (The music camp advertised is Camp Electric in Nashville. The radio station is giving away a week at camp to a teen between the ages of 13 and 18 years old.) I tried to explain that the camp was for older kids like her cousin Frank, so she asked me if she would be 13 this summer. I love that my little girl wants to glorify God through music. I must say, I understand so much about the Bible just by watching her. Her innocence, humility, sincerity, heart... these traits are all what God wants us to have.

Matthew 18:3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Ollie makes up songs praising her Lord Jesus all day. She makes up new songs and sings even when no one (human that is) is listening. She never worries about what other people think about her singing. She is only proud and re sings it. She asks me if I think Jesus likes her songs. I know (not think) He likes them; no loves them. I get all teary thinking about how Jesus must react when He hears her sing songs from her heart.

Matthew 21:16"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, " 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise' ?"

From the lips of children He has ordained praise. I looked up the meaning of the word ordain in Webster's Dictionary online. (I don't use the word ordained often enough to grasp it's exact meaning other than in terms used for ministers.) Here is what I found.

1: to invest officially (as by the laying on of hands) with ministerial or priestly authority
2 a: to establish or order by appointment, decree, or law

God has officially called children to praise His name. He has given them this authority. As adults there are so many arguments about how to praise His name. So many that churches split over these arguments-- too loud, to slow, to old fashioned, to new... and that's just in the churches that use music. There is a whole other argument that music is not Biblical in worship. As adults, or mature believers, we need to take lessons from the people who have been called by God officially to praise Him. Do you think He cares about how Ollie sings. If she's off key, too loud, sings a new song she makes up as she goes, uses her violin-guitar-harmonica while she sings. I think NOT. She certainly makes music in her heart! She certainly sings to Him a new song. She even sings and makes music for Him with her instruments.

Ephesians 5:19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

Psalm 33:3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

Psalm 144:9I will sing a new song to you, O God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,

I am so blessed to be a mom. I grow in my faith and my relationship with my Savior just by watching and listening to my little girls. Lord, I pray that you will keep my eyes and ears open that I may see Your truth as I raise my girls; that I may use what I learn to teach them about You. Not only about You but that they may come to know You in a mature way-- not just in the innocent ways that You have ordained.

Lord, I also pray that one day I can send her to Camp Electric!

Psalm 139 13-18

13 For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in your book

before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to [b] me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand.

When I awake,

I am still with you.