If you ever watched a toddler learning to walk, you might be amused.  They are kind of hunched over a bit, looking for a place to grab on to, and almost waddling before the strength in their legs and backs improve. Their little chubby legs are so adorable. Definitely cuteness times ten! “Jesus loves the little children, All the children of the world. Red and Yellow, Black and White, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

If you know a senior citizen, or you yourself are one, have you noticed any changes? Sometimes they are hunched over. Some of them almost waddle as they shuffle along, looking for a place to grab on to for support. Their legs might be discolored and puffy from water retention or poor circulation.  Most observers would not think “…cuteness times ten…” BUT the good news is God loves them unconditionally. In the late, late years of our lives, we might waddle and not be able to present ourselves as adorable, but it makes absolutely NO DIFFERENCE to God. He is on His throne, in charge and loves us.  That is powerful!

Our physical bodies are not what matters most to our Father in Heaven. He has been honing and polishing our spirits.  He has watched over our growth in Him. Have we praised Him?  Have we thanked Him?  Have we cherished the gift of His Son and learned about repentance and redemption and how Jesus suffered and died for each of us?

Whatever body you have appreciate that it is the temple for the Holy Spirit who dwells within.  The children’s’ song reminds us Jesus loves all the little children, even those waddling into toddler phase.  Just as important, God loves the teen with acne and awkward growth spurts.  God loves the geriatric who runs marathons and eats healthy and yes, even the senior who waddles slightly unstable.

We are His.  He chose us and gave us the gift of His son.  May we relish the Spirit within us and allow ourselves to be honed and polished for life everlasting with God. All waddlers welcome and as Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5: 1-5   ”For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.”

Jill